intlirCitpofMrtogDrk 


LIBRARY 


TAIiE   OF   THE  HrCJIJEIVOTS, 

OR 

MEMOIRS  OF  A 
FRENCH    REFUGEE    FAMILY. 

TRANSLATED   AND  COMPILED  FROM  THE 

ORICrlNAL   MANUSCRIPTS 

OP 

JAMES    FONTAINE, 

BY 

ONE   OF  HIS  DESCENDANTS. 


WITH     AN     INTRODUCTION, 
BY 

F.  L.  HAWKS,      D.    D. 


Shewing  to  the  generations  to  come  the  praises  of  the  Lord,  and 
his  gtrennh,  that  thoy  should  mai<e  thera  known  to  their  chiliJren  ; 
That  they  might  set  their  hope  in  God,  and  not  forget  the  works 
of  God,  but  keep  his  commandments.— Psalm  78. 


NEW  YORK: 
JOHN    S.   TAYLOR, 

THEOLOGICAL    AND    SUNDAY    SCHOOL    BOOKSELLIIB, 
Comer  of  Park  Row  and  Spruce  Street. 

idid. 


o  ^ 


Mn 


Entehed 
According  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1838.  by 

JOHN   S.   TAYLOR, 
In  the  Clerk's  Ofliceof  the  District  Court  of  the  Sou'.hem  District  of 

New  York 


^^^/^V 


DEDICATION. 

To  the  two  thousand  descendants  of  the  exemplary- 
Christian  whose  eventful  hfe  forms  the  chief  subject 
of  the  following  pages,  and  who  are  now  living  in 
the  United  States  of  America,  this  work  is  afiec 
tionately  inscribed  by  their  kinswoman. 


350154 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  history  of  the  little  work  now  in  the  reader's 
hands,  is  hriefly  this.     Among  the  private  documents, 
belon^nncT  to  one  of  the  most  respectable  famihes 
under"  th"e  parochial  charge  of  the  present  writer, 
there  ha^  long  been  preserved,  with  pious  care,  a 
manuscript  autobiography  of  one  of  its  ancestors, 
who,  as  a  persecuted  Huguenot,  endured  much  for 
the  sake  of  his  faith.     It  was  the  labour  of  his  latter 
days  to  prepare  for  his  descendants   the  record  al- 
lucled  to,  as  a  memorial  of  his  gratitude  for  the  Pro- 
vidcnce  that  had  sustained  him  in  many  dangers  and 
trials,  and  as  an  admonition  to  his  posterity  to  ad- 
here  to  the  faith  for  which  their  forefathers  hazarded 
life      The  work,  which  extended  to  several  hundred 
pages,  was  written  in  the  French  language,  and  with- 
out any  view  to  publication. 

In  the  friendly  confidence  growing  out  ot  paro- 
chial  relations,  the  existence  of  this  manuscript  be- 
came  known  to  the  writer  of  this  introduction. 
Curiosity  led  to  its  examination ;  the  strange  and 
interesting  nature  of  the  incidents  it  recorded,  related 
as  thev  were  with  unpretending  simplicity,  soon  hxed 
his  attention.  It  struck  him  as  being  a  vivid  picture 
of  by-<Tone  times  sketched  by  an  honest  eye  witness  ; 
and"tire  page  of  past  history  thus  illustrated  was  not 
the  least  interesting  in  the  records  of  Protestantism. 
There  was  also,  as  it  seemed  to  the  writer,  many 
an  useful  lesson  to  be  gathered  from  the  leading 


Vlll  INTRODUCTION. 

In  proposing  the  measure,  he  had  in  view  chiefly  the 
benefit  of  the  younoj,  though  he  thought  the  book 
would  have  interest  for  all.  His  suggestion  waa 
adopted,  upon  the  condition  that  he  would  explain 
the  circumstances  connected  with  the  puliiicatior, 
and  would  assure  its  readers  of  the  authenticity  of 
the  story.  Having  done  the  first,  he  has  only  to 
state  further  that  it  is  a  veritable  narrative,  and  as 
such  has  long  been  preserved  in  the  family  of  one  of 
our  worthiest  countrymen.  If  in  its  perusal,  some 
of  the  events  related,  should  appear  to  others,  as  they 
did  to  the  writer,  of  an  unusual  character,  let  it  be 
remembered  that  their  truth  makes  their  strangeness 
more  striking  still ;  and  serves  to  show  that  real  life 
sometimes  imbodies  adventures,  little,  if  at  all,  infe- 
rior to  those  found  on  the  pages  of  fictitious  narra- 
tive. 

F.  L.  Hawks. 

Rectory  of  St.  Tliomas  N.  Y.  > 

August,  1st.  1838.  4 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  I. 

Reasons  for  writing  these  memoirs — Noble  origin  of  our  fami- 
ly— John  de  la  Fontaine  born — Obtains  a  commission  in 
the  household  of  Francis  I. — Embraces  Protestantism — Per- 
secution of  Protestants — January  Edict — John  de  la  Fon- 
taine resigns  his  commission — His  assassination — Flight  of 
his  three  sons — Arrival  at  Rochelle — Charitable  reception — 
Marriage  of  James  de  la  Fontaine — Attempt  to  poison  him — 
Application  for  pardon  to  Henry  IV.         .  .  13 

CHAPTER  II. 

James  Fontaine — Fond  of  study — Travels  as  tutor  to  a  young 
nobleman — Called  to  the  churches  of  Vaux  and  Royan — Mar- 
ries an  English  lady — Second  marriage — His  personal  ap- 
pearance— Habits — Labors  in  the  ministry — Capuchins  and 
Jesuits  come  to  hear  him  preach — Summoned  to  appear  be- 
fore the  governor  for  preaching  on  the  ruins  of  the  Church — 
A  second  summons — Anticipation  of  future  persecution — 
Death.  .....  25 

CHAPTER  III. 

My  birth — Lameness — Imitation  of  my  fathers  prayers — Me- 
ditations upon  the  heavenly  bodies — Sent  to  school — Dis- 
gusted with  study — Letter  to  sister — Mr.  de  la  Bussiere — 
Admirable  preceptor — Eccentric  man — Enter  college — 
Take  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. — My  mother's  death — Divi- 
sion of  property.         .         .  .  .  .  32 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Study  with  Mr.  Forestier — His  persecutions — His  wife's  firm- 
ness— Retiim  home — Pray  with  neighbours — Leave  the 
neighbourhood   at    Easter — Poor  people  assemble  in  ^le 


I 
X  CONTENTS. 

woods — A  spy  watches  them — Warrajils  issued — A  maaon 
taken  up — He  recants — His  repentance — My  return  home- 
Warrant  against  me — Determine  to  remain  and  wait  the  ia- 
sue — Grand  Provost  and  archers  appear — Conducted  to  pri. 
son — Obtain  permission  to  pray  night  and  raoniing  in 
prison.       ......  40 

CHAPTER  V. 

Provost  and  archers  make  another  tour — Firmness  of  the 
poor  country  people — Twenty  brought  to  prison— Supplied 
with  necessaries  by  Protestants  of  Saiutcs— Attempt  to  sliake 
their  faith — Precautioii  in  anticipation  of  separation — In- 
dictment against  me — Confrontation — Recollement — Ex 
amination  of  witnesses — Agoust — Two  criminals — Gaol- 
er — Gaoler's  wife — Apply  to  the  seneschal  for  enlagement — 

Accusation  of  King's  advocate — Placed  in  a  dungeon 

Removed  to  the  Town  Hall— Proposal  to  regain  freedom 
by  bribery.  .....  55 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Trial  before  the  Presidency — A  digression — My  defence- 
Angry  discussion  .nth  tlic  President — Query — My  reply- 
Sentence.  •  •  .  .  71 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Appeal  lo  Parliament — Copy  of  factum — President's  observa 
tion  upon  it — Sentence  reversed — Register  refuses  copy  of  the 
decree — Apply  for  redress — Return  home.  .  80 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Persecution  of  1685— Meeting  of  ministers  and  elders— My 
opinion  opposed  to  the  majority— Meeting  of  Protestanta  at 

Royan — Mr.  Certani  dissuades  numbers  from  emigration 

Interview  with  him — Gloomy  forebodings — Departure  of 
many  persons— Dragoons   appear — Leave  home — Visit 


CONTENTS.  XI 

sisters Traverse     the     country Place    betrothed    in 

safety.        ......  90 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Revocation  of  Edict  of  Nantes — Preparations  for  flight — Dif- 
ficulties and  dangers — Land  in  England — Cheap  bread — 
Speculate  in  grain — Cruelty  of  a  ship  Captain.       .         105 

CHAPTER  X. 

Singular  proposal  from  a  lady — Marriage — Mode  of  living — 
Remove  to  Bridgwater — Assistance  from  Committee — Why 
discontinued — Application  for  relief— Unkind  treatment — 
Receive  Holy  Orders — Attempt  to  recover  property  in 
France.  .....  121 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Remove  to  Taunton — Keep  a  shop — Manufactory — Very 
prosperous — Summoned  before  the  Mayor — Defence — Re- 
corder's speech — Discharge.         .  .  .  137 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Revolution  of  1688 — Landing  of  the  Dutch — Unexpected  visi- 
tor— Soldiers  billeted  upon  me — Retire  from  business — En. 
deavour  to  make  calimancoes — Profit  upon  them — Instruct 
a  crippled  weaver — Secret  discovered — Visit  Dublin  and 
Cork — Shipwreck — Place  sons  in  Holland — Increase  of 
family.     .  .  .  •  •  •  148 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Arrival  at  Cork — Enter  upon  pastoral  duties — Manufacto- 
ry — Great  happiness — Dissension  in  the  church — Resigna- 
tion— Copy  of  certificate — Remarkable  warning  by  a 
dream — Visit  fishing  stations — Death  of  Aaron — Turn  fish- 
erman— Remove  to  Bear  Haven — Loss  of  the  Robert — 
Bad  season — Trading  voyage — Success  in  fishiaig — Loss  by 


xli  '  CONTENTS. 

mismanagement  of   partners— Troublesome    Irish    neigh- 

bours 1^^ 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Attacked  by  a   French    Privateer— Defence— Letter   to   the 
Duke  of  Ormond — Ammunition  furnished  by  government- 
Build  a  small  fort — Visit  Dublin — London — Obtain  a  pen- 
sion— Copy  of  warrant — Return  home.  .  191 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Attacked  by  a  second  Privateer — Outhouses  fired — Breach  in 
the  wall — Wounded — Surrender — Carried  away  as  a  pri- 
soner — Expostulate  with  captain — Ransomed — Peter  left  as 
a  hostage — His  deportment.         ,  .  .  210 

CHAPTER  XVL 

Affidavit  before  Magistrates— Retaliation  on  French  pri- 
soners— Removal  to  Dublin — Hire  a  haunted  house — Claim 
compensation  from  the  county  of  Cork — Disturbance  in 
haunted  house— School — Education  of  chiMren — Peter  goes 
to  Collctre — John  obtains  a  commission  in  the  army — ^Nloses 

O 

and  Francis  enter  college — IMoscs  studies  law — Emigration 
to  America— Marriage  of  children— My  wife's  death- 
Failure  of  health — Conclusion.  •  •  233 


TALE  OF 


THE 


HUGUENOTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Reasons  for  writing  these  memoirs — Noble  origin  of  our  family 
— Jj'm  de  la  Fontaine  born — Obtains  a  commission  in  the 
household  of  Francis  I. — Embraces  Protestantism — Perse- 
cution of  Protestants — Juanary  Edict — ^John  de  la  Fontaine 
resigns  his  commission — His  assassination — Flight  of  his 
three  sons — Arrival   at  Rochclle — Charitable  reception — 

.  Marriage  of  James  de  la  Fontaine — Attempt  to  poison  him 
— ^Application  for  pardon  to  Henry  IV. 

M}'^  dear  children, 
Having  observed  the  deep  interest  you  have  taken 
in  all  that  has  befallen  your  ancestors,  when  I  have 
related  their  adventures  to  you,  i  am  induced  to 
write  down  their  history  for  your  use,  to  the  end  that 
the  pious  examples  of  those  from  whom  we  derive  our 
origin  may  not  be  lost  to  you,  or  those  who  succeed 
you. 

2 


14  A    TALE    OF 

I  trust  that  it  may  be  the  means  of  engaging  ;'ou 
to  dtdicate  yourselves  wholly  and  unreservedly  to  the 
service  of  that  God  whom  they  worshipped  at  the 
risk  of  their  lives,  and  to  be  stedfast  in  the  profession 
of  that  pure  faith  for  which  they  suffered  the  severest 
hardships  with  unshaken  constancy.  And  also  that 
you  may  admire  the  watchful  and  wonderful  provi- 
dences of  God  exerted  in  supporting  and  preserving 
them  through  every  trial.  Indeed,  without  looking 
beyond  the  compass  of  your  own  memories,  you 
may  recall  numberless  instances  of  the  providential 
care  of  that  same  God  "  whose  hand  is  not  short- 
ened." 

For  my  own  part,  I  trust  that  the  making  of  this 
retrospect  may  be  attended  with  great  benefit,  bring- 
ing before  me  the  frailties  and  sins  of  each  age  and 
condition  of  my  past  life,  and  making  me  humble  my- 
self before  the  throne  of  grace,  and  with  trembling 
pray  for  pardon  through  the  mediation  of  my  Blessed 
Saviour :  and  by  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
I  may  hope  for  more  watchfulness  and  circumspec- 
tion for  the  time  to  come.     And  when  I  review  the 
uncommon,  innumerable,  and  unmerited  mercies  I 
have  received  through  the  whole  course  of  my  life,  I 
hope  my  gratitude  will  be  increased  towards  my  Al- 
mighty benefactor,  and  surely  I  shall  be  encouraged 
to  put  niy  whole  trust  in  him  for  the  future.     If  I 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  15 

owe  such  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  the  things  of  this 
life,  its  comforts  and  conveniences,  how  incalculably 
great  must  it  be  for  his  mercy  to  mj'^  immortal  soul, 
shedding  the  blood  of  his  only  begotten  Son  for  my 
redemption.  Oh  my  God !  I  entreat  thee  to  con- 
tinue thy  goodness  during  the  few  days  that  may 
yet  remain  to  me,  and  at  last  receive  my  sou3. 
Amen. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  history,  I  should  mention 
that  our  name  was  originally  De  la  Fontaine,  and  net 
Fontaine.  My  father,  from  motives  of  humility,  was 
the  first  to  cut  off  the  De  la,  an  indication  of  nobili- 
ty ;  my  older  brothers  wished  to  resume  it,  but  he 
would  not  consent,  having  a  large  family  and  little 
property  ;  for  you  must  know  that  in  France  no  one 
of  noble  family  can  engage  in  trade  or  the  mechanic 
arts  without  forfeiting  his  claim  to  nobility. 

The  father  of  my  great-grandfather,  who  was  a 
nobleman,  could  not  bear  the  thought  of  bringing  up 
his  children  without  employment,  according  to  the 
usual  custom,  and  therefore  placed  his  son  in  the 
King's  service. 

It  is  with  this  John  De  la  Fontaine  that  I  com- 
mence these  annals,  he  being  the  first  of  whom  I  have 
any  accurate  knowledge. 

He  was  born  in  the  province  of  Maine,  about  the 


16  A   TALE    OF 

year  1500,  and  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough  to  bear 
arms,  his  father  procured  him  a  commission  in  what 
was  then  called  "  Lcs  ordonnances  du  Roi"  in  the 
household  of  Francis  I.  It  was  in  the  tenth  or 
twelfth  year  of  this  monarch's  reign  that  he  entered 
his  service,  and  he  conducted  himself  so  honourably 
and  uprightly,  that  even  after  his  father  and  himself 
had  embraced  Protestantism  at  its  first  preaching  in 
1535,  he  remained  in  the  same  situation,  and  con- 
tinued thcro  during  the  reigns  of  Henry  II.,  Francis 
II.,  and  until  the  second  year  of  Charles  IX.  He 
married,  and  had  at  least  four  sons,  when  he  retired 
from  a  service  in  which  he  had  remained  so  long, 
only  as  a  sort  cf  safe-guai^d  from  persecution.  The 
king's  officers  were  protected  by  right  of  their  office  ; 
and  our  ancestor,  it  would  appear,  v.cs  much  be- 
loved by  all  his  juniors  in  the  service,  which  made 
the  Roman  Catholic  party  afraid  to  meddle  with 
him,  though  at  the  same  time  they  thirsted  for  his 
blood,  not  only  on  account  of  his  examplary  piety, 
but  of  the  exercise  of  a  power  his  office  conferred 
upon  him,  and  which  he  had  freely  used,  of  assisting 
the  poor  Protestants,  many  of  whom  he  had  shielded 
from  persecution. 

From  the  year  1534  to  April  1598,  when  Henry 
IV.  granted  the  edict  of  Nantes,  the  professors  of  the 


TUE    HUGUENOTS.  17 

pure  faith  were  continually  subjected  to  every  va- 
riety of  injustice  and  cruelty,  as  you  have  read  in 
the  history  of  France.'^ 

*  Open  hostilities  were  occasioned  by  an  event  wliich  oc- 
curred at  the  little  town  of  Vassy,  in  Champagne,  in  the  year 
1562.     The  Protestants  were  engaged  in  prayer  outside  the 
walls,  in  conformity  with  the  king's  edict,  when  the  Duke  of 
Guise  approached.     Some  of  his  suite  insulted  the  worshippers, 
and  from  insults  they  proceeded  to  blows,  and  the  Duke  him- 
self was  accidentally  wounded  in  the  cheek.     The  sight  of 
his  blood  enraged  his  followers,  and  a  general  massacre  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Vassy  ensued ;  the  report  of  this  roused  the  su£. 
fering  Huguenots  throughout  the  kingdom,  and  a  savage  and 
bloody  war  followed,  during  which,  Anthony  of  Bourbon,  king 
of  Navarre  fell  fighting  in  the  Catholic  ranks,  leaving  a  son 
eight  years  old,  tlic  future  Henry  IV.,  that  great  supporter  of 
the  Protestant  cause.    The  constable  Montmorency  was  taken 
prisoner,  and  the  Duke  of  Guise  slain ;  thus  the  Catholics  were 
without  a  leader.     The  Prince  of  Conde  being  also  a  prisoner, 
and  the  Protestant  Coligny  the  only  chief  remaining  on  either 
side,  an  accommodation  appeared  indispensable,  and  in  March, 
15G3  an  edict  was  granted  which  allowed  the  Huguenots  to 
worship  within  the  towns  they  were  possessed  of  up  to  that 
day.     This  permission  led  some  of  the  Bishops  and  other 
clergy  who  had  embraced  Protestantism,  to  celebrate  divine 
worship  in  the  cathedrals,  according  to  the  rites  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  ;  such  an  extension  of  the  meaning  of  the 
edict  had  never  been  contemplated,  and  it  was  soon  modified 
by  a  declaration  that  ancient  cathedrals  should  in  no  case  bo 
used  as  Protestant  churches. 

2* 


18  A    TALE    OF 

These  persecutions  wero  carried  on  with  some  of 
the  forms  of  law,  but  the  gallows  were  erected  and 
the  fires  were  kindled,  not  to  support  the  law,  but  in 

Another  edict  was  passed  very  shortly,  which  imposed 
greater  restrictions,  and  the  Huguenots,  finding  that  they 
were  likely  to  lose  hy  edicts  all  that  they  had  wrested  from 
the  king  by  the  sword,  prepared  to  take  up  arms  agaui,  and 
in  1567  another  struggle  commenced,  which,  with  a  very 
short  interval  of  peace,  lasted  until  1570,  when  a  treaty  was 
concluded  upon  terms  so  favourable  to  the  Huguenots  as  to  ex- 
cite some  suspicion  in  their  minds  that  all  was  not  right. 
They  were  to  have  liberty  of  conscience,  and  their  worship 
was  allowed  in  all  the  towns  they  had  held  during  the  war, 
and  they  were  permitted  to  retain  and  garrison  Rochclle, 
Montauban,  Cognac,  and  La  Charite,  as  guaranties  for  the 
observance  of  the  treaty. 

All  had  now  the  appearance  of  peace,  but  it  was  the  delu- 
sive calm  which  precedes  a  storm  ;  vengeance  was  preparing, 
and  the  massacre  of  St.l3artholomew's  day  followed,  with  all 
its  horrors,  which  are  too  well  known  to  need  repetition.  Tho 
number  of  Huguenots  slaughtered,  has  been  estimated  at 
50,000,  those  who  survived  were  for  a  moment  paralysed  by 
the  blow,  and  the  Catholics  themselves  seemed  stupified  v.ith 
shaTne  and  remcrse.  Charles  was  as  one  struck  by  avenging 
retribution,  he  became  restless,  sullen,  and  dejected,  and  la- 
boured under  a  slow  fever  to  the  day  of  his  death.  He  tried 
to  excuse  his  perfidy  on  the  plea  of  its  having  been  necessary 
for  self-preservation,  and  he  sent  instructions  to  liis  ambassa- 
dor in  England  to  give  such  an  explanation  to  queen  Eliza- 
beth.    Hume   speaking  of  this  interview,  says,    "  Nothing 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  19 

order  to  extinguish,  if  possible,  the  very  name  of  Pro- 
testant.   The  means  adopted,  howevei,  had  frequent- 

could  be  more  awful  and  affecting  than  his  audience.  A 
raelanchcly  sorrow  sat  on  every  face :  silence  as  i-n  the  dead 
of  night,  reigned  through  all  the  chambers  of  the  royal  apart- 
ment ;  the  courtiers  and  ladies  clad  in  deep  mourning  were 
ranged  on  each  side,  and  allowed  him  to  pass  without  afford- 
ing him  one  salute  or  favourable  look,  till  he  was  admitted  to 
the  queen  herself." 

The  lives  of  the  young  Prince  of  Conde  and  Henry  of  Na- 
varre had  been  spared,  on  condition  of  becoming  Catholics,  a 
condition  to  which  they  merely  pretended  to  accede,  as  both 
attempted  to  escape  from  Paris  immediately  afterwaKis  ;  Con- 
de  alone  was  successful,  and  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the 
Huguenots  ;  and  this  sect  which  Charles  had  hoped  to  exter- 
minate at  one  blow  soon  mustered  an  army  of  18,000  men, 
and  they  had  kept  possession  of  Rochelle  and  Montauban,  be- 
sides many  castles,  fortresses,  and  smaller  towns.  Thus 
Charles,  and  Cath?  .xie  bis  mother,  gained  nothing  by  their 
infamous  treachery,  but  a  character  for  perfidy  and  cruelty 
which  has  been  unequalled  in  the  annals  of  history. 

After  the  death  of  Charles  IX.  the  condition  of  the  Hugue- 
nots was  ever  changing ;  they  were  frequently  in  the  field, 
and  when  successful  obtained  favourable  edicts,  which  were 
broken  as  soon  as  they  laid  down  their  arms,  and  then  they 
would  resume  them,  and  fight  until  their  success  gained  fresh 
concessions. 

In  1576  the  Catholic  League  was  formed,  having  for  its 
main  object  the  exclusion  from  the  throne  of  France  of  Henry 


20  A    TALE    OF 

ly  an  opposite  effect,  and  increased  the  followers  of 
the  true  fiiith.  The  martyrs  by  their  constancy, 
proved,  in  many  cases,  the  instruments  which  God 
made  use  of  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  papists,  and  it 
was  no  uncommon  occurrence  to  see  those  who  had 
aided  in  the  destruction  of  others  rush  to  the  same 
martyrdom  themselves. 

In  some  provinces,  the  Protestants  irritated  be- 
yond endurance  took  up  arms,  not  against  their 
monarch,  but  their  persecutors  ;  and  this  led  to  an 
Edict  of  Pacification,  granted  on  the  17th  of  Janua- 

of  Narvarre,  who  was  next  heir  to  Henry  III.,  the  reigning 
monarch.  War  was  carried  on  between  the  League  and  the 
Huguenots  until  1594,  five  years  after  the  death  of  Henr)'  III. 
when  Henry  IV.  from  motives  of  policy  united  himself  to  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  was  thereupon  generally  recognised  as 
Uie  legitimate  monarch.  He  still  felt  favourably  disposed  to- 
wards his  old  friends,  and  in  1598  gi  anted  the  celebrated  edict 
of  Nantes,  which  allowed  them  to  worship  in  freedom  in  all 
towns  where  their  creed  was  the  prevailing  one.  Tliey  were 
to  pay  the  regular  tithe  to  the  established  Church,  but  were 
permitted  to  raise  money  for  their  own  clergy,  and  to  hold 
meetings  of  their  representatives  for  church-government.  In 
all  law-suits  Protestants  were  to  have  the  privilege  of  one 
half  the  judges  being  of  their  own  faith,  and  several  towns 
were  left  in  their  possession  for  a  limited  time  as  a  surety. 
The  parliament  objected  to  registering  this  edict,  but  the 
king  was  resolute,  and  fmally  overcame  their  obstinacy. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  21 

ry  1582,  commonly  called  the  January  Edict,* 
Charles  IX.  being  yet  in  his  minority.  The  Pro- 
testants believing  this  to  be  in  good  faith  very  gener- 
ally laid  down  their  arms  ;  and  John  De  la  Fontaine 
resigned  his  commission,  seeing  himself  now  protect- 
ed by  law  in  the  exercise  of  his  religion,  he  felt  that 
he  had  no  more  occasion  for  his  military  profession 
than  for  a  buckler  in  time  of  profound  peace.  He 
made  a  great  mistake  in  arriving  at  this  conclusion  ; 
the  change  was  decidedly  for  the  worse ;  whereas, 
heretofore  proceedings  had  been  open,  and  with  a 
shadow  of  justice  founded  upon  the  king's  procla- 
mation against  Heretics,  now  all  was  secret,  no  use 
was  made  of  judge  or  prison,  every  miserable  wretch 
who  pleased,  became  at  once  judge  and  executioner. 
Armed  miscreants  broke  into  the  houses  of  the  Pro- 
testants at  midnight,  committing  robbery  and  mur- 
der, and  they  were  encouraged  in  their  atrocities  by 
priests,  monks,  and  bigots,  who  made  them  much  the 
same  promise  that  the  Sanhedrin  of  Jerusalem  did 
to  the  city  watch.  "  If  this  comes  to  the  governor's 
ears,  we  will  persuade  him  and  secure  you."  No 
enquiry  or  examination  was  ever  made  into  these 

*  The  famous  January  edict  granted  tolerance  to  the 
Huguenots  so  far  as  to  permit  them  to  assemble  outside  the 
walls  of  towns. 


22 


A    TALE    OP 


acts,  and  thus  the  Protestants  were  affain  oblljrcd  to 
resort  to  arms  to  repel  nocturnal  insult,  and  guard 
against  treachery. 

Some  of  the  sworn  enemies  of  God  and  his  Gospel 
who  had  long  watched  John  De  la  Fontaine,  and 
conceived  a  deep  hatred  against  him,  thought  the 
time  had  now  arrived,  (he  having  laid  down  his  com- 
mission,)  when  they  might  safely  put  him  out  of  the 
way  ;  and  such  a  man  being  got  rid  of,  that  it  would 
be  comparatively  easy  to  disperse  the  rest  of  the  con- 
gregation to  which  he  belonged. 

it  was  in  the  year  1563  that  some  of  these  ruffians 
were  despatched  from  the  city  of  Le  Mans  in  search 
of  him  ;  and  in  the  night  time,  when  he  least  expect- 
ed such  a  fate,  he  was  dragged  out  of  doors  and  his 
throat  cut ;  his  wife,  within  a  few  week*  of  her  con- 
fineraent,  had  followed  him,  hoping  by  her  entreaties 
to  save  his  life,  but  she  shared  the  same  fate,  as  did 
also  a  valet,  who  strove  to  assist  his  master.  Oh 
my  children  !  let  us  never  forget  that  the  blood  of 
martyrs  flows  in  our  veins  !  And  God  in  his  infinite 
mercy  grant  that  the  remembrance  may  enliven  our 
faith,  so  that  we  prove  not  unworthy  scions  from  so 
noble  a  stock. 

The  goodness  of  God,  whose  providence  generally 
bestows  especial  favours  upon  the  children  of  those 
who    freely  ehed   their  blood   in    his   service,   pre- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  23 

served  the   lives   of  three  sons  of  these    glorious 
Diartyrs. 

James  De  la  Fontaine,  my  grandfather,  then  about 
thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old,  with  Abraham,  two 
years  his  junior,  and  another  brother  still  younger, 
fled  from  the  bloody  scene,  full  of  horror  and  conster- 
nation, without  a  guide  save  the  providence  of  God, 
and  no  aim  but  to  get  as  far  as  possible  from  the 
barbarians,  who  had  in  one  moment  deprived  them  of 
both  father  and  mother.  They  did  not  stop  until 
they  reached  Rochelle,  then  a  very  safe  place  for  Pro- 
testants, containing  as  it  did,  within  its  walls,  many 
faithful  servants  of  the  living  God.  These  poor  lads 
were  actually  begging  their  bread  when  they  arrived 
there,  and  were  v/ithout  any  recommendation  but 
their  appearance.  They  were  fair  and  handsome,  as 
I  have  been  told ;  and  appeared  to  have  had  good 
breeding.  Some  of  the  inhabitants  were  moved  v/ith 
compassion,  and  gave  them  food  and  shelter  for  the 
little  services  they  were  capable  of  performing.  A 
charitable  shoemaker,  who  feared  God  and  was  in 
easy  circumstances,  received  James  into  his  house, 
and  into  his  affections  also,  and  taught  him  his  trade. 
This  you  will  observe  was  no  time  for  pride,  or  to 
stand  upon  titles  to  nobility,  but  rather  to  return 
thanks  to  God  who  had  given  him  the  power  to  earn 
liis  bread  by  the  labor  of  his  hands.     It  was  not  long 


24  A    TALE    OP 

before  he  was  in  receipt  of  sufficient  wages  to  sup- 
port his  younger  brothers.  They  all  three  lived 
poorly  enough,  until  James  reached  manhood  ;  he 
then  entered  upon  commercial  pursuits,  and  his  career 
afterwards  was  comparatively  prosperous.  In  the 
year  1603  he  married,  and  had  two  daughters  and 
one  son,  (my  father,)  who  was  named  James,  after 
himself.  lie  married  again,  but  had  no  addition  to 
his  family ;  and  better  would  it  have  been  for  him 
had  he  remained  a  widower,  for  his  last  wife  attempted 
to  poison  him,  and  though  unsuccessful,  medical  aid 
being  promptly  obtained,  the  affair  became  too  no- 
torious to  be  hushed  up,  and  she  was  carried  to  pri- 
son, tried,  and  condemned  to  death.  It  so  happened 
that  Henry  IV.  was  then  at  Rochellc,  and  application 
was  made  to  him  for  a  pardon  ;  he  said,  before  he 
granted  it, he  must  see  the  husband  she  had  been  so 
anxious  to  get  rid  of,  (I  suppose  to  judge  from  his 
appearance  whether  there  was  any  excuse  for  her,) 
and  when  my  grandfather  appeared  before  him,  he 
cried  out,  "  Let  her  be  hanged,  let  her  be  hanged, 
ventre  saint  gris  !*  he  is  the  handsomest  man  in  my 
kingdom."  I  have  seen  his  picture,  and  it  certainly 
did  represent  him  as  a  handsome  man.  He  died  in 
the  year  1633,  and  left  his  family  some  9000  livres. 

•  The  accxistomed  oath  of  Henry  IV. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  ^ 


CHAPTER  II. 

James  Fontaine — Fond  of  study — Travels  as  tutor  to  a  young 
nobleman — Called  to  the  churches  of  Vaux  and  Royan — 
Marries  an  English  lady — Second  marriage — His  personal 
appearances— Habits — Labors  in  the  ministry — Capucliins 
and  Jesuits  come  to  hear  him  preach — Summoned  to  appear 
before  the  governor  for  preaching  on  the  ruins  of  the  church 
— A  second  summons — Anticipation  of  future  persecution 
— Death. 

I  NOW  proceed  to  my  own  father,  who  at  an  early 
age  discovered  great  aptitude  for  study,  and  a  very 
serious  turn  of  mind.  He  was  fortunate  in  gaining 
the  friendship  of  Mr.  Merlin,  a  minister  at  Rochelle, 
and  this  worthy  servant  of  God  assisted  him  greatly 
in  his  education,  and  recommended  him  as  tutor  to  a 
near  relation  of  the  Countess  of  Royan,  in  which 
station  he  accompanied  his  pupil  to  the  College  of 
Saumur,  and  while  superintending  his  studies  there, 
completed  his  own  preparation  for  the  ministry. 

Before  entering  on  the  sacred  office,  he  travelled 
with  this  youth  through  various  countries,  and  thus 
had  the  opportunity  of  acquiring  several  foreign  lan- 
guages in  perfection.  They  made  a  long  stay  in 
London,  and  there  my  father  fell  in  love  with  a  very 
beautiful  girl  of  the  name  of  Thompson.     She  was  of 

3 


2C  A    TALE    OF 

good  family,  well  educated,  spoke  the  French  Ian- 
guage  with  fluency,  and  played  well  on  the  spir.ette. 
They  exchanged  vows  and  portraits,  and  he  returned 
to  France  with  his  young  lord. 

No  sooner  had  he  arrived  than  he  received  a  call 
from  the  united  churches  of  Vaux  and  Royan,  and  he 
was  settled  there  by  the  authority  of  the  synod  ;  and 
from  the  very  first  he  was  most  tenderly  beloved  by 
his  charge.  At  the  end  of  a  j^ear,  he  asked  and  ob- 
tained permission  to  go  to  London,  to  fetch  her  who 
had  all  this  time  held  his  heart  captive,  and  who  was 
herself  faithfully  waiting  for  him.  They  were  mar- 
ried in  the  year  1628,  my  father  being  about  twenty, 
five  years  of  age.  They  lived  together  twelve  years, 
and  had  several  children. 

In  about  a  year  after  her  death,  my  father  mar- 
ried my  mother,  Mary  Chaillon,  of  Rue  au  Roy,  a 
village  about  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from  the  town 
of  Pons,  in  Saintonge.  She  was  a  handsome  bru- 
nette,  twelve  years  younger  than  her  husband,  and 
had  a  fortune  of  four  thousand  francs.  During  the 
life  of  his  first  wife,  my  father  had  lived  in  a  small, 
inconvenient,  ready-furnished  house  in  the  borough 
of  Vaux.  After  his  second  marriage,  he  was  per- 
suaded by  my  mother  to  purchase  a  pretty  little  es- 
tate called  Jenouille,  and  the  manor  of  JafTe  near 
to  it ;    he   added  some   commodious  apartments  to 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  _    27 

the  house,  and  made  it  a  very  comfortable  and  desira- 
ble residence.  I  was  the  youngest  child  of  my  pa- 
rents, and  have  but  little  personal  recollection  of  my 
father,  being  only  eight  years  old  when  he  died.  He 
was  a  man  of  fine  figure,  clear  complexion,  pure  red 
and  white,  and  of  so  dignified  a  deportment  that  he 
commanded  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  carrte  in 
contact.  He  was  remarkably  abstemious,  living 
chiofl}'^  upon  milk  and  vegetables  until  the  decline  of 
life,  when,  by  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  went 
upon  a  more  generous  diet.  He  absented  himself  on 
festive  occasions,  but  never  failed  to  visit  every  fa- 
mily in  his  flock  twice  a  year.  The  sick  and  afflicted 
were  attended  to  as  soon  as  their  affliction  was  made 
known  to  him.  When  it  was  understood  that  he 
was  praying  with  the  sick,  crovv'ds  would  flock  to 
hear  him,  filling  the  house  ;  for  you  must  know  that 
in  that  district  all  were  Protestants,  save  four  or  five 
families.  He  was  most  zealous  and  aflcctionate,  and 
employed  all  his  knowledge,  his  talents,  and  his  stu- 
dies in  the  service  of  God,  and  it  was  most  gratify- 
ing to  him  to  find  his  labors  thus  appreciated  by  his 
flock.  He  had  great  learning,  quick  and  ready  wit, 
clear  and  sonorous  voice,  natural  and  agreeable  ac- 
tion, and  he  always  made  use  of  the  most  chaste  and 
elegant  language  ;  and  genuine  humility  crowning 


28  A.    TALE    OF 

the  whole,  gave  such  a  charm  to  his  discourses  that 
he  delighted  all  who  heard  him. 

I  must  mention  an  instance  illustrative  of  his  ia- 
cility  in  preaching.  On  the  afternoon  of  a  commu- 
nion Sunday,  just  after  reading  his  text,  which  had 
been  selected  with  reference  to  the  services  of  the 
morning,  he  perceived  some  Capuchins  and  Jesuits 
entering  the  church  ;  he  paused — and  addressing 
himself  to  his  own  people,  he  said,  that  the  text  he  had 
at  first  taken  was  intended  for  the  edification  of  those 
who,  hv  the  grace  of  God,  were  already  well  informed 
in  the  pure  religion,  but  as  these  people  were  still  in 
ignorance  and  superstition,  he  felt  it  a  duty  to  leave 
the  ninety  and  nine  sheep,  and  endeavor  to  bring 
back  the  lost  sheep  to  the  fold.  He  then  opened  his 
Bible,  and  read  a  controversial  text,  and  treated  the 
subject  witli  so  much  force  and  perspicuity,  that  the 
fathers  were  obliged  to  confess,  on  going  out,  that 
they  never  heard  error  (as  they  called  it)  so  well 
defended. 

When  there  was  any  diflference  between  pastor 
and  flock,  he  was  usually  the  person  appointed  by 
the  synod  to  go  and  endeavour  to  heal  the  breach,  and 
he  was  almost  always  successful,  softening  the  hearts, 
and  drawing  tears  from  the  eyes,  of  his  auditors. 

He  was  invited  to  take  charge  of  the  church  at 


THE    HUGITENOTS.  29 

Rochelle,  where  the  minister's  salary  was  just  twice 
as  large  as  that  which  he  received.  He  refused,  for 
he  had  not  the  heart  to  abandon  a  flock  by  whom  he 
was  so  tenderly  beloved. 

I  have  mentioned  that  he  was  pastor  of  the  united 
churches  of  Vaux  and  Royan  ;  and  at  the  commence- 
ment of  his  ministry  he  preached  in  one  church  in 
the  morning,  and  the  other  in  the  afternoon  alter- 
nately, the  distance  between  them  being  two  short 
miles.  After  a  time  the  church  at  Royan  was  pulled 
down,  in  conformity  with  an  order  in  council,  and 
my  father  persisted  in  preaching  on  the  ruins.  The 
governor  was  enraged  when  he  heard  of  it,  and  sum- 
moned him  to  appear  before  him.  My  father  defended 
himself  on  the  plea  of  ancient  privileges  and  liber- 
ties ;  to  which  the  governor  made  answer,  that  he 
ki.ew  of  no  privilege  or  liberty  to  which  a  subject 
was  entitled  but  such  as  had  been  granted  to  him  by 
the  king,  the  council,  or  the  ancient  laws,  and  that 
he  had  ascertained  that  this  church  had  been  erected 
without  permission,  (which  was  very  true,)  and 
therefore  as  its  building  had  been  an  act  of  usurpa- 
tion, its  demolition  could  not  be  regarded  as  an  ar- 
bitrary  stretch  of  power,  and  surely  there  was  no 
great  hardship  in  his  followers  at  Royan  having  the 
trouble  to  walk  over  to  Vaux  to  hear  him.  This 
was  unanswerable,  so  of  course  he  had  to  acquiesce. 


30  A.    TALE    OF 

Soon  after  this,  there  was  another  order  in  council 
forbidding  Protestant  ministers  to  appear  in  their 
clerical  robes  in  the  streets ;  my  father  felt  this  as 
an  indisrnitv,  and  continued  wearinj;  liis  as  hereto- 
fore.  For  this  offence  lie  was  summoned  a  second 
time  to  appear  before  the  governor.  He  went  in  his 
gown,  and  it  so  happened  that  the  governor's  wife 
was  present  at  the  examination,  and  she  was  so  for- 
cibly touched  with  the  dignity  ind  eloqunnce  of  his 
defence,  that  she  persuaded  her  husband  to  permit 
him  to  continue  wearing  a  garb  to  wliich  he  did  so 
inut'i  honor. 

Little  vexatious  trials  of  this  sort  perpetually  oc- 
curring, led  him  to  believe  that  a  more  serious  per- 
secution was  not  far  distant,  and  he  exerted  all  his 
energies  to  prepare  his  flock  beforehand,  that  they 
might  not  f  lil  when  tlie  day  of  trial  should  co.ne. 
His  instructions  were  most  assuredly  accompanied 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  for,  though  his  death  took 
place  full  eighteen  years  before  the  great  persecution, 
yet  the  influence  he  had  exerted  over  his  people  lived 
after  him,  and  there  were  very  few  parishes  in  whirh 
so  large  a  prooortion  of  the  inhabitants  left  their 
homes  as  in  Vaux  and  Royan,  and  I  have  reason  to 
believe  that  oftljose  who  remained  behind,  many  wor- 
shipped God  in  sincerity  around  their  family  altars, 
according  to  the  true  faith. 


)  i 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  31 

My  father  was  as  skilful  in  the  ruling  of  his  own 
household  as  of  the  church  over  which  God  had  placed 
liim.  His  favorite  recreation  was  gardening,  and  it 
was  in  coming  out  of  his  garden  in  the  year  1666 
that  he  was  seized  with  a  fit  of  apoplexy,  which  proved 
fatal.  You  may  well  imagine  how  deeply  and  sin- 
cerely he  was  regretted  by  all,  but  I  think  to  myself, 
thou'^h  at  the  time  unconscious  of  my  loss,  it  was 
the  most  serious.  Had  it  pleased  the  Almighty  to 
prolong  his  days,  what  a  guide  and  instructor  he 
would  have  been  to  my  youth  ! 


32  A    TALE    OF 


CHAPTER  III. 

My  birlh — Lameness — Imitation  of  my  father's  prayers — Me- 
ditations upon  the  heavenly  bodies — Sent  to  school — Dis- 
gusted  with  study — Letter  to  sister — Mr.  Dc  la  Bussiere — 
Admirable  preceptor — Eccentric  man — Enter  college — 
Take  degree  of  master  of  arts — My  mother's  death — Divi- 
sion of  property. 

I  HAVE  now  arrived  at  the  history  of  my  own  life, 
which  I  shall  give  more  in  detail,  as  being  more  im- 
mediately interesting  to  you  than  those  which  have 
preceded  it ;  and  you  will  find  a  tissue  of  adventures, 
checquered  with  extremes  of  prosperity  and  adver- 
sity, but  amidst  all  its  varied  joys  and  sorrows  you 
cannot  fail  to  discern  the  hand  of  Almighty  God, 
whose  good  providence  may  be  distinctly  traced, 
watching  over  me  and  making  all  things  work  toge- 
ther  for  my  ultimate  advantage. 

I  was  born  at  Jenouille,  on  the  7th  April.  1658. 
The  first  disaster  which  befell  me  proceeded  from 
the  carelessness  of  my  nurse  ;  she  trusted  me  to  her 
daughter,  a  young  and  giddy  girl,  who  played  with 
me,  tossing  me  in  the  air  and  catching  me  in  her 
arms,  until  at  last  she  missed,  and  I  fell  to  the  ground 
and  broke  my  leg.  The  nurse,  afraid  to  inform  my 
parents,  took  me  to  an  ignoramus  of  a  surgeon*  who 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  33 

pronounced  that  no  harm  had  been  done.     The  re- 
sult to  me  has  been  lameness  for  life,   my  right  leg 
being  shorter,  thinner,  and  much  weaker  than  the 
other.     I  inherited  something  of  the  fanriily  beauty 
of  face,  and  was  of  a  very  lively  and  inventive  turn. 
Whsn  only  four  years  old,  I  was  so  taken  with  my 
father's  reading  of  the  Scriptures,  and  praying  with 
the  family,  that  I  had  a  fancy  to  imitate  him,  and 
calling  together  the  servants  and  my  sisters,  I  made 
them  kneel  down  while  I  prayed.     They  gave  my 
father  such  an  account  that  he  had  a  curiosity  to  be 
present  also  ;  I  would  not  proceed  unless  he  knelt 
down  with  the  rest ;   and  my  mother  has  since  told 
me  that  he  was  much  affected  by  the  earnestness  of 
my  manner,  and  discovering,  as  he  thought,  the  germ 
of  future  talent  and  piety,  he  himself  prayed  heartily 
to  God  to  preserve  and  bless  one  who  evinced  a  zeal 
so  unusual  among  children.     I  was  younger  by  seven 
years  than  any  of  my  brothers  and  sisters,  and  this 
circumstance  occasioned  my  being  left  much  to  my- 
self, and  I  used  to  reflect  a  great  deal ;  and  some  of 
my  meditations  in  childhood  being  a  little  remarka- 
ble, I  will  not  pass  them  by.     You  must  bear  in  mind 
that  my  knowledge  was  derived  from  no  book  save 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  I  heard  my  father  read 
daily.     I  beheld  the  glorious  sun  arise  each  morning 
to  renew  our  joys  and  pleasures,  and  every  night 


34  A    TALE    OF 

tliousands  of  stars  enamelled  the  vault  above  our 
heads ;  I  algo  noticed  another  bcautiliil  luminary, 
which  day  b}  day  decreased,  and  again  returned  to 
its  first  glory  by  the  same  degrees.  Now  I  knew 
from  the  Scriptures  that  God  inhabited  a  light  which 
no  man  could  approach  unto ;  and  that  he  dwelt  in 
the  third  heaven,  to  which  St.  Paul  had  been  caught 
up.  I  concluded  thence  that  his  dwelling  place  was 
above  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  and  that  in  order  to 
hold  him  and  the  celestial  court,  consisting,  as  I  un- 
derstood, of  an  infinite  number  of  angels  and  jjlorified 

'  DO 

saints,  I  imagined  the  floor  of  the  third  heaven  must 
be  of  a  solid  and  opaque  substance,  and  the  dwelling 
place  of  God  all  resplendent  with  the  light  that  his 
glory  diffused  around  him.  I  concluded  that  what 
we  saw  of  the  sun,  (beauteous  as  it  is)  was  but  a  hole 
in  the  ceiling  of  the  second  and  floor  of  the  third 
heaven,  ^vhich  illuminated  us  with  a  faint  gleam  of 
that  light  which  shone  fully  u[)on  the  angels  and 
saints.  As  to  the  stars,  they  were  only  so  many 
gimblet  holes  in  that  part  which  was  opposite  to  the 
sun  and  most  distant  from  the  throne  of  God.  The 
moon,  too,  I  supposed  to  be  a  hole  nearly  as  large  as 
the  sun,  but  situated,  like  the  stars,  away  from  the 
immediate  presence  of  God.  As  to  her  changes, 
they  gave  me  no  trouble,  for  taking  the  liJ  of  a  pot 
and  sliding  it  over  the  top  produced  exactly  the  same 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  35 

varied  form,  and  I  left  the  angels  of  God  to  aiide  the 
round  cover  over  the  round  hole  of  the  moon  accord- 
ino^  as  they  were  bidden.  IV^y  only  difficulty  was  to 
find  out  how  the  heavens  could  turn  round  without 
shaking  the  foundations  or  pillars  upon  which  David 
said  the  earth  rested.  But  if  my  reason  proved  un. 
equal  to  the  solution,  my  faith  made  up  all  deficien. 
cies,  being  confident  that  to  Him  who  made  all  things 
out  of  nothing,  it  could  not  be  difficult.  In  cloudy 
weather  I  prayed  earnestly  to  God  to  lift  up  his  foot 
from  the  round  hole  which  gave  us  light. 

I  was  sent  from  time  to  time  to  divers  schools,  and 
at  seventeen  years  of  age  I  had  committed  to  memory 
vast  quantities  of  Latin,  but  memory  was  the  only 
talent  that  had  been  cultivated,  my  understanding 
and  reasoning  powers  had  been  suffered  to  slumber. 
I  became  perfectly  disgusted  with  study,  and  forming 
about  this  time  an  intimacy  with  a  druggist's  ap- 
prentice, I  thought  it  would  be  a  delightful  thing  if  I 
could  persuade  my  mother  to  let  me  throw  aside  my 
books  and  turn  shop-boy.  But  how  to  set  about  it  I 
did  not  know,  for  I  had  been  dedicated  to  the  minis- 
try  from  my  birth,  and  I  well  knew  it  would  almost 
break  my  mother's  heart  if  I  were  to  give  it  up.  I 
at  last  resolved  to  make  my  sister  Ann  (the  only  one 
unmarried)  my  confidante.    I  wrote  her  a  long  letter 


36  A   TALE    OF 

enlarging  upon  the  length  of  time  I  had  studied,  the 
little  progress  I  had  made,  and  the  poor  hopes  I  had 
of  doing  any  better  in  future.     I  told  her  I  had  the 
greatest  reverence   for    the   ministerial  office,   and 
looked  upon  it  as  the  most  honorable  of  all  employ- 
ments, but  then,  if  it  was  an  undertaking  beyond  my 
strength,  the  requisite  gifts  being  deficient,  it  would 
only  be  wasting  time  and  money  for  me  to  persevere. 
After  dwelling  at  length  on  my  incapacity,  I  wound 
up  by  disclosing  my  secret  wish  to  go  into  a  drug- 
gist's shop,  and  I  begged  of  her  to  toll  it  to  my  mo- 
ther, as  a  suggestion  of  her  own,  on  some  very  fa- 
vorable occasion,  and  by  no  means  to  show  the  letter 
to  her.     Notwithstanding    all    my  precaution,  my 
sister  felt  it  to  be  her  duty  to  make  my  communica- 
tion public,  and  a  family  council  was  held  as  to  what 
was  to  be  done,  and  it  was  unanimously  decided  that 
the  very  ingenuity  of  my  arguments  to  prove  inca- 
pacity went  to  establish  the  fact  of  its  being  inclina- 
tion, and  not  talent,  that  was  wanting.     My  mother 
took  it  to  heart  so  much,  that  she  absolutely  fell  sick; 
but  she  was  determined  to  keep  me  at  study  for  some 
time  longer,  at  any  rate.     Soon  after  this  struggle 
for  liberty,  I  was  for  the  first  time  placed  under  a 
tutor  who  had  th"j  art  of  drawing  forth  any  talent 
tliat  I  might  possess.     Mi.  De  la  Bussiere  was  a 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  37 

Protestant  layman,  and  very  eccentric.  He  was  an 
excellent  Latin  and  Greek  scholar,  a  pretty  poet  and 
a  good  physician ;  he  was  as  obstinate  as  a  mule  ;  he 
drank  to  excess,  but  did  not  commence  his  potations 
until  the  labors  of  the  day  were  ended.  He  had  ten 
or  twelve  pupils,  but  no  boarders ;  for  he  and  his  wife 
had  only  one  small  apartment,  which  served  as  kit- 
chen, bedroom,  and  study.  He  wore  a  little  cloak, 
once  black,  now  of  a  reddish  brown,  threadbare,  and 
always  covered  with  dust.  He  never  used  a  razor, 
but  when  his  beard  became  inconveniently  long,  he 
cut  it  off  with  scissors.  Their  slovenly  apartment 
did  not  contain  such  a  thing  as  a  looking-glass.  In 
short,  he  was,  what  in  England  they  call,  a  mere 
scholar  ;  he  had  learning,  and  nothing  else.  I  began 
to  study  under  him  upon  an  entirely  different  plan, 
and  in  a  short  time  his  explanations  and  exercises 
brought  into  play  the  stores  that  memory  had 
laid  up,  and  I  was  astonished  to  find  that  I  had  accu- 
mulated such  a  mass  of  materials  without  knowing 
how  to  make  use  of  them  until  now.  We  had  no 
holyday  except  Sunday,  and  on  Monday  morning 
we  were  required  to  give  a  full  account  of  the  ser- 
mon we  had  heard  on  the  preceding  day.  I  remained 
three  years  with  him,  and  when  we  parted,  both  he 
and  I  were  satisfied  with  the  progress  I  had  made. 

4 


38  .       A  TALE  or 

He  certainly  understood  human  nature,  and  had  the 
art  of  guiding  others  in  a  remarkable  degree.  A 
single  word  of  reproof  from  him  was  more  grievous 
to  me  than  the  severest  punishments  inflicted  by 
former  preceptors. 

My  next  step  was  to  the  college  of  Guienne,  and 
there  great  mortification  awaited  me.  Latin  was 
the  only  language  made  use  of,  and  I  had  never  been 
accustomed  to  speak  it,  (though  I  was  familiar  with 
all  the  best  Latin  authors)  and  I  found  it  impossible 
to  follow  the  Lecturers.  I  did  not  allow  myself  to 
l>c  discouraged,  but  hired  the  assistance  of  a  private 
tutor  for  the  hours  of  relaxation,  and  by  this  means, 
I  was  soon  able  to  keep  pace  witli  the  Professors ; 
and  I  may  say  with  truth,  that  during  the  two  years 
I  remained  at  college,  I  spent  sixteen  hours  out  of 
every  twcnty-tbur  in  study.  At  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  I  took  my  degree  of  Master  of  Arts,  and  of  four- 
teen who  passed  at  the  same  time,  I  stood  second  on 
the  list.  Thus,  with  five  years  of  hard  study,  I  made 
up  in  some  degree  for  the  previous  nine  years  of 
negligence.  About  this  time  my  dear  mother  ended 
her  life  of  piety  and  usefulness. 

In  France,  by  law  a  man  is  not  of  age  until  he 
has  completed  his  twenty-fifth  year,  but  my  brothers, 
dislildng  the  trouble  of  managicg  my  property,  made 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  39 

me  of  age,  or  free,  immediately  after  my  mother's  de- 
cease. My  brothers  and  sisters  were  all  married, 
and  had  long  ago  received  the  greater  part  of  their 
portions,  so  that  in  making  the  final  division  of  pro- 
perty, the  estates  of  Jenouille  and  Jaffe  fell  to  my 
share. 


40  A    TALE    OF 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Study  with  Mr.  Forcsticr — His  persecutions — His  wife's  firm- 
ness— Return  home — Pray  with  neighbours — Leave  the 
nciglibourhood  at  Easter — Poor  people  assemble  in  tlie 
woods — A  spy  watches  them — Warrants  issued — A  mason 
taken  up — He  recants — His  repentance — My  return  home 
— Warrant  against  me — Determine  to  remain  and  wait  the 
issue — Grand  Provost  and  Archers  appear — Conducted  to 
prison — Obtain  permission  to  pray  night  and  morning  in 
prison. 

Having  made  all  necessary  arrangements  for  the 
management  of  my  property.  I  went  to  my  brother- 
in-law  Mr.  Forestier  who  was  a  ministv  r  at  St.  Mesme 
in  Anguomois  to  prosecute  my  theological  studies, 
for  I  liad  now  no  other  wish  than  to  devote  to  the  glo- 
ry of  God  all  the  talents  he  had  bestowed  upon  me. 
While  I  was  at  Mr.  Forestier's,  a  complaint  was 
made  that  he  had  received  a  papist  into  the  commu- 
nion  of  the  Protestant  Church,  contrary  to  the  King's 
edict.  Upon  this  accusation,  he  was  taken  to  prison 
on  horseback  with  his  legs  tied  under  the  horse's  bel- 
ly. If  you  had  but  seen  the  papists  of  Augouleme 
collected  on  the  road,  in  such  numbers  that  I  may 
say  they  were  literally  piled  up,  and  they  were  uttering 
the  most  horrid  maledictions  and  throwing  stones  at 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  41 

him  and  at  us  who  accompanied  him  to  the  prison 
door ;  I  say,  if  you  had  seen  them,  you  would  have 
supposed  the  prisoner  had  murdered  his  father,  com- 
mitted violence  on  his  mother,  or  attempted  the  life 
of  the  King.  Oh  my  God  !  to  what  a  horrid  pitch 
of  barbarity  does  the  blind  zeal  of  superstition  and 
idolatry  carry  mankind  ! 

My  sister  was  throughout  her  trials  resigned  to  His 
will,  who  she  felt  assured,  in  His  infinite  wisdom,  or- 
dered all  for  the  best.  After  a  tedious  imprisonment 
Mr.  Forestier  appealed  to  the  parliament*  of  Paris, 
and  was  acquitted.  The  Church  of  St.  Mesme  be- 
ing condemned,  he  was  removed  by  order  of  the  Sy- 
nod to  Coses  in  Saintonge,  and  though  it  is  rather 
anticipating  events,  I  think  I  had  better  finish  at 
once  the  history  of  his  labours  in  the  ministry,  be- 
fore returning  to  my  own  life.  The  church  at  Coses 
having  been  condemned,  the  papists  in  the  neighbor- 
hood wished  to  put  a  stop  to  divine  worship  there, 
even  before  the  day  appointed  for  its  destruction  ar- 
rived, and  to  accomplish  this  end,  they  made  some 

*  There  were  ten  Parliaments  in  the  Kingdom  of  France, 
they  were  superior  courts  of  judicature,  to  which  appeal  was 
made  from  the  decision  of  inferior  tribunals.  They  had  no 
legislative  function  but  that  of  registering  and  publishing 
the  Royal  Decrees,  to  which  they  very  rarely  raised  any 
objection. 

4* 


42 


A    TALE    OP 


frivolous  complaint  of  Protestants  who  had  recanted 
having  been  seen  there,  and  procured  a  warrant  to 
arrest  Mr.  Forcstier  upon  this  charge.  A  friend 
travelled  all  night  from  Saintes  in  order  to  give 
him  timely  notice  of  the  steps  that  had  been  taken, 
and  arrived  at  Coses  just  as  he  was  ready  to  go  to 
church  on  Sunday  morning,  and  tried  in  vain  to  per 
suade  him  to  conceal  himself. 

My  sister  was  appealed  to,  expecting  she  would  aid 
in  dissuading  her  husband  from  going  to  church  ;  so 
far  from  it,  she  replied  with  a  calm  and  decided  tone  ; 
"  It  is  Mr.  Forestier's  duty  to  preach  to  his  tlock,  and 
it  is  for  God  to  do  as  seemeth  him  good." 

Mr.  Forestier  turned  round  triumphantly  and  said 
"You  see  we  have  no  Eve  here  Sir,"  and  immediately 
proceeded  to  church  with  his  family.  He  preached 
with  his  accustomed  energy,  there  was  not  the  slight- 
est visible  trace  of  agitation,  and  as  he  descended 
from  the  pulpit  he  was  seized  by  the  Archers,  taken 
to  the  prison  of  Saintes  and  thence  transferred  to  tl^at 
of  La  Reolle,  where  the  parliament  of  Bourdeaux  then 
held  its  sittings.  His  life  was  preserved  through 
many  dangers  by  the  God  whom  he  served  so  faith- 
fully,  and  at  last  he  left  France  with  his  wife  and 
younger  children,  in  conformity  with  the  King's 
Declaration. 

It  is  difficult  which  to  admire  most,  the  husband 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  43 

or  the  wife,  the  faith  of  both  shone  so  triumphantly 
on  these  trying  occasions,  and  I  can  assure  you  (for 
I  was  much  with  her)  that  my  sister's  firmness  did 
not  proceed  from  any  deficiency  of  sensibihty ;  there 
was  no  apathy  about  her.  I  have  known  few  persons 
who  had  stronger  affections,  but  her  love  for  her  hus- 
band and  children  was  subordinate  to  her  love  of  God, 
and  when  his  glory  was  in  question,  nothing  was 
too  dear  to  her.  Happy  couple  !  their  treasure 
was  laid  up  in  heaven,  and  they  could  well  afford  to 
despise  this  present  life  and  its  enjoyments. 

I  now  return  to  my  own  history.  I  went  to  Saintes 
to  reside,  in  order  to  have  the  assistance  of  two  able 
and  pious  ministers,  Mr.  Mainard,  and  Mr.  Borillak, 
in  pursuing  my  theological  studies.  After  a  while 
they  also  were  cast  into  prison,  and  I  returned 
home. 

My  brother  Peter  had  been  the  minister  of  my  fa- 
ther's parish  ever  since  his  death,  and  about  this 
time,  he  was  seized  under  a  '  lettre  de  cachet,'  and 
confined  in  the  Castle  of  Oleron  ;  the  church  at 
Vaux  was  levelled  with  the  ground,  and  most  of  the 
churches  in  our  Province  shared  the  same  fate ; 
thus  my  neighbors  could  not  reach  a  place  of  wor- 
ship without  great  fatigue  ;  and  feeling  compassion 
for  them  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  I  felt  myself 
called  upon  to  invite  them  to  join  me  in  my  family 


44  A    TALE    OF 

devotions.     The  number  who  came  soon  increased 
to  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  I  then  recommended 
them  not  to  come  daily  as  heretofore.     I  could  pre- 
pare mvself  more  suitably  to  expound  the  Scriptures, 
and  preach  for  them,  if  our  meetings  did  not  take 
place  more  than  two  or   three  times  a  week.     And 
I  suggested  to  them,  that  if  each  family  only  came 
once  a  week,  and  thus  all  took  their  turns,  that  our 
meetings  being  less  numerous,  would  be  less  likely  to 
attract  attention.     I   also   frequently   changed  our 
days  of  assembling,  giving  previous  notice  to  the  peo- 
pie,  and  we  continued  this  endearing  intercourse  un- 
interruptedly during  the  whole  winter.     AH  who  at- 
tended were  personally  known  to  me,  and  to  each 
other,  and  all  were  equally  interested  in  keeping  the 
secret,  and  my  house  standing  entirely  alone  was  also  a 
very  favourable  circumstance  for  us. 

A  rumour  prevailed  that  there  were  meetings  in 
our  parish,  and  that  I  was  the  preacher,  but  we  had 
no  traitor  in  our  ranks,  and  the  papists  were  unable 
to  discover  any  thing  with  sufficient  certainty  to 
make  a  handle  of.  Some  of  my  friends  advised  me  to 
cease  before  we  were  discovered,  but  I  believed  myself 
to  be  in  the  path  of  duty,  and  was  determined  to  per- 
severe. Our  holy  intercourse  continued  without  any 
drawback  till  Palm  Sunday  1684.  I  then  advised  my 
people  to  go  to  some  of  the  few  remaining  churches 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  45 

in  order  to  receive  the  communion  with  their 
brethren,  and  I  myself  went  to  the  other  side  of 
the  Province,  and  received  the  communion  both 
on  Palm  Sunday  and  Easter  Sunday,  and  remained 
from  home  until  ten  or  twelve  days  after  Easter.  On 
Palm  Sunday  some  of  the  neighbours  came  to  my 
house  as  usual,  and  not  finding  me  there,  they  retir- 
ed to  the  wood  behind  my  house,  and  one  of  their 
number,  a  mason  by  trade,  who  read  very  well,  offi- 
ciated  as  their  pastor.  He  read  several  chapters 
from  the  Bible,  the  prayers  of  the  church,  and  a  ser- 
mon, and  they  sang  Psalms.  This  meeting  having 
been  open,  it  was  noised  abroad,  and  on  Holy  Thurs- 
day, from  seven  to  eight  hundred  persons  assembled 
on  the  same  spot,  the  mason  again  the  pastor  ;  and 
on  Easter  day  the  number  increased  to  a  thousand. 

A  miserable  pettifogging  Attorney,  named  Agoust, 
who  had  already  abjured  his  religion,  lived  wiltiin 
four  hundred  paces  of  a  high  road  by  which  many 
of  the  people  returned  home  from  the  meeting,  and 
thinking  to  ingratiate  himself  with  those  in  power, 
he  sat  at  his  window  to  watch  them  returning,  but 
it  was  impossible  for  him  to  recognise  individuals  at 
that  distance,  the  services  having  continued  till  af- 
ter  dusk ;  nevertheless,  he  made  out  a  list  of  sixty 
nanles,  putting  down  som3  who  were,  and  some  who 
were  not  there,  and  Mr.  Mouillere  and  I  were  at  the 


46  A  TALE  or 

head.  He  knew  pretty  v.'cll  who  would  be  hkely  to 
attend  such  a  meeting,  and  that  was  about  as  much 
as  he  really  did  know.  On  the  deposition  of  this 
single  witness  (a  man  of  indiflerent  character  at 
best)  before  the  Seneschal  of  Saintes,  warrants  were 
issued  against  us.  Two  or  three  days  before  my  re- 
turn home,  the  Grand  Provost  and  his  Archers  Were 
sent  in  search  of  us.  I  was  absent ;  the  country  peo- 
ple, having  iiad  timely  notice,  had  hidden  themselves 
in  the  woods,  and  at^er  scouring  the  country  over 
the  archers  found  no  one  but  the  poor  mason  who 
had  officiated.  Ilim  tlicy  took,  fastened  him  to  a 
horse's  tail,  and  drajjfjed  him  to  Saintes  a  distance 

'  DO 

of  fifteen  miles.  They  threatened  him  in  all  kinds 
of  ways,  and  assured  him  he  would  be  hanged  as 
soon  as  they  reached  the  Capital.  It  was  late  when 
they  arrived,  too  late,  they  told  him,  for  him  to  be  hang- 
ed that  night,  and  that  one  solitary  chance  for  life  yet 
remained  to  him,  and  that  was,  to  recant  without  de- 
lay, for  if  he  once  got  within  the  walls  of  the  prison, 
a  hundred  religions  would  not  save  him  from  death. 
They  said  all  that  was  required  of  him  was  to  re- 
nounce the  errors  of  Calvin,  and  surely  he  might  do 
that  with  a  clear  conscience,  for  if  Calvin  had  errors, 
they  ought  to  be  renounced,  and  if  he  had  none,  then 
nothing  was  renounced.  Thjy  did  not  neglect  to  set 
before  him  the  forlorn  condition  in  which  his  wife 


THE    HUGUENOTS  47 

and  children  would  be  placed  by  his  death  ;  and  the 
poor  fellov/,  what  with  their  threats  and  their  spe- 
cious arguments,  having  no  one  at  hand  to  strength- 
en him,  yielded  to  the  temptation,  and  abjured  the  er- 
rors of  Calvin.  He  was  rewarded  bv  being;  set  at 
liberty  immediately.  As  soon  as  I  returned  home, 
he  came  to  me,  crying  like  a  child,  he  threw  himself 
on  his  knees  before  me,  and  entreated  that  I  would 
pray  to  God  for  his  soul,  which  he  had  damned  by  his 
own  weakness.  He  related  the  whole  story  to  me, 
and  told  me  the  torments  he  had  endured  ever  since 
and  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  sleep.  He 
viewed  his  crime  with  so  much  abhorrence,  and  was 
in  such  a  state  of  despair,  that  I  saw  at  once  that 
my  duty  was  not  to  reprove  but  rather  to  try  to  lead 
him  to  the  true  source  for  consolation,  and  I  endeav- 
oured to  convince  him  that  God's  mercy  was  still 
open  to  him.  I  drew  a  parallel  between  him  and 
St.  Peter,  whom  he  had  imitated,  as  well  in  his  bitter 
tears,  as  in  his  fall.  He  once  more  abjured  his  ab- 
juration,  and  asked  forgiveness  of  every  one  he  met 
for  the  scandal  he  had  brought  upon  their  holy  re- 
ligion ;  and  I  do  believe  that  all  who  witnessed  the 
remorse  of  this  unhappy  man,  were  by  it  strengthen- 
ed in  their  own  faith.  God,  who  can  bring  good 
out  of  evil,  shewed  them  by  this  sad  example  that 
man,  with  all  his  cruelties,  can  inflict  no  such  pain, 


48  A    TALE    OF 

as  God  causes  to  the  consciences  of  those  who  deny 
him  before  men. 

I  w.is  very  sorry  that  I  had  not  been  on  the  spot 
to  have  accompanied  the  poor  man,  and  to  have  tried 
to  strengthen  him;  and  understanding  that  there 
was  a  warrant  out  against  me,  I  rode  over  to  Saintes 
to  ascertain  the  fact.  T  waited  upon  the  Lieutenant 
General,  or  Seneschal  of  the  Presidency  of  Saintes, 
and  he  had  the  malice  to  deny  that  there  was  any 
such  warrant  out,  though  he  himself  had  issued  it: 
but  he  thought  that  being  led  to  prison  by  the  Grand 
Provost,  and  made  a  public  spectacle  of,  would  serve 
to  intimidate  me.  I  saw  into  the  matter,  and  re- 
turned quietly  home.  During  the  week  I  remained 
there,  I  was  constantly  employed,  exhorting  my 
neicrhbours  and  trying  to  strengthen  their  faith,  and 
when  I  heard  that  the  Provost  and  Archers  were 
within  two  leagues  of  us,  I  sent  messengers  into  the 
villatres  to  ffive  them  time  to  hide  themselves,  but  I 
had  determined  myself  not  to  shrink  from  the  danger 
whatever  it  might  be.  I  made  all  ready  in  the  even- 
ing, expecting  them  early  next  day ;  I  gave  full  di- 
rections  to  my  servants,  I  made  up  a  bundle  contain- 
ing what  I  should  require  in  the  prison,  and  I  pray- 
ed most  fervently  to  God  for  his  grace  to  support 
me  in  the  step  I  was  about  to  take,  and  which  I  be- 
lieved I  was  undertaking  for  his  glory.     Some  of 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  49 

my  friends  came  to  mc,  and  offered  mo  the  use  of 
their  houses  as  an  asylum,  but  I  refused,  saying  that 
I  had  induced  these  poor  people  to  jeopard  their  lives 
for  our  holy  religion,  and  that,  having  been  their 
guide  when  there  was  no  danger,  if  I  were  now  to 
flee,  I  should  consider  myself  like  the  shepherd  v/ho 
fled  at  the  sight  of  the  wolf,  because  he  was  an  hire- 
ling. Example,  I  told  them,  was  more  powerful  than 
precept,  and  that  if  I  were  absent,  and  my  poor 
neighbours  abjured  their  faith  for  want  of  a  leader 
to  countenance  and  support  them,  I  should  for  ever 
feel  that  the  sin  rested  on  my  shoulder.  My  mind 
was  v/onder fully  calm,  and  I  slept  so  soundly  that  I 
was  only  wakened  by  the  noise  of  the  Provost  and 
his  Archers  knocking  at  the  gate,  at  break  of  day. 
I  started  suddenly  out  of  my  sleep,  felt  a  vague  sort 
of  alarm,  and  trembling  from  head  to  foot,  and  being 
but  half  awake,  the  idea  crossed  my  mind  of  defend- 
ing myself  with  fire-arms  which  I  had  in  my  room. 
Presently  I  realized  more  fully  my  situation,  and 
calling  to  mind  the  resolves  of  the  night  before,  I 
fell  down  upon  my  knees  and  prayed  for  Divine  as- 
sistance, which  appeared  to  be  vouchsafed  to  me,  for 
I  felt  almost  immediately  tranquillized,  and  I  heard 
with  displeasure  that  my  servants  were  denying  that 
I  was  in  the  house.  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  win- 
dow, and  told  them  I  had  made  ready  for  them  over- 

5 


50  A    TALE    or 

night,  upon  which  they  retreated  a  Httle,  evidently 
tliinking  the  preparation  I  spoke  of  was  defensive ; 
indeed,  I  heard  the  Provost  order  his  Archeri  to  be 
on  their  guard,  for  I  should  probably  fire  upon  them. 
I  told  him  he  was  mistaken,  and  that  if  he  would 
wait  patiently  until  I  was  dressed,  I  would  accom- 
pany  him.  As  soon  as  I  was  ready,  I  opened  the 
door  and  showed  the  bundle  I  had  prepared  the  night 
before.  The  Provost  gave  me  some  exhortations 
about  what  he  considered  my  duty,  namely,  to  make 
a  recantation  in  conformity  to  the  King's  order. 
He  then  left  me  in  charge  of  two  of  his  Archers,  and 
proceeded  with  the  rest  in  search  of  the  other  per- 
sons against  whom  he  had  warrants.  They  scoured 
tlie  country  without  finding  any  of  my  accomplices 
in  prayer.  One  poor  ploughman  was  taken  up, 
who  felt  somewhat  embarrassed  at  suffering  persecu- 
tion without  the  consolation  of  having  deserved  it. 
He  was  sent  forward  to  the  place  of  rendezvous 
with  an  Archer  for  his  guard,  who  was  one  of  that 
tribe  of  booted  Missionaries,  wh^  by  oaths,  threats 
and  cruelties,  strove  to  make  converts  to  his  religion. 
Hearing  that  no  more  prisoners  were  likely  to 
be  brought  in,  we  continued  our  way,  and  my  com- 
panion was  greatly  comforted  by  having  (at  my 
earnest  solicitation)  the  rope,  which  tied  him  to  the 
horse's  tail,  left  long  enough  for  him  to  walk  by  my 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  51 

side.     When  we  were  approaching  the  Capital,  the 
Archars  told  me,  with  a  delicacy  rather  unusual,  tliat 
the}^  had  positive  orders  to  tye  my  legs  together  un- 
der  the  horse,  but  that  if  I  would  drop  my   cloak 
down   so  low  as  to  hide  my  legs  altogether,    they 
would  dispense  with  it.     We  entered  the   town  of 
Saintes  at  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  a  day  near 
the  end  of  April  1684,  and  we  formed  a  spectacle  to 
a   crowd   composed  of  two  very   different   classes. 
The  one  clapped  their  hands,  jumped  for  joy,  and  cri- 
ed  out  in  loud  tones,  "  Hang  them !  Hang  them !"   The 
other  stood  aloof  and  wept.     My  companion  was 
sadly  overcome,  but  I  tried  to  encourage  him,  speak- 
ing  kindly  to  him,   and  pressing   his  hand,    which 
M'hen  the  papists  observed,  they  redoubled  their  me- 
naces.     The  principal  Protestants  in  the  place  made 
me   a  visit  of  condolence  in  the   prison    that  very 
night.     I  thanked  them  for  their  sympathy^  and  told 
them  they  would  soon  have  an  opportunity  of  evin- 
cing it  by  acts,  for  I  felt  assured  that  my  poor  neigh- 
hours  would  ere  long  be  my  companions   in  prison, 
and  they  would  then  be  called  upon  to  contribute  to 
their  support.     After  they  had  left  me,  I  made  a  bar- 
gain  with  the  gaoler  to  pay  him  so  much  a  day  for 
a  bed  for  myself,  and  for  the  use  of  his  own  private 
apartment.     Now  my  principal  reason  for  coming  to 


52 


A    TALE    OF 


prison  (whicli  I  could  easily  have  avoided  by  flight) 
was  to  prevent  any  of  my  followers,  who  might 
hereafter  be  seized,  from  changing  their  religion, 
and  as  it  would  be  highly  dangerous  to  speak  to  them 
of  religion,  I  determined,  without  loss  of  time,  to 
make  the  only  arrangement  by  which  I  could  hope 
to  be  useful  to  them,  and  that  was,  to  obtain  permis- 
6lo«  to  pray  aloud  night  and  morning  in  the  prison, 
an  und-.Ttaking  which  hitherto  no  minister  had  at- 
tempted,  so  far  as  I  knew. 

After  tupper,  conversing  with  the  gaoler,  I  told 
him  tJicre  was  one  thing  I  wished  to  mention  to  him, 
namely,  that  it  was  my  practice  to  pray  aloud  to  God 
iiiglit  and  morning,  and  that  it  had  become  so  habit, 
ual  to  me,  and  was  so  necessary  to  my  peace  of  mind, 
that  if  I  were  debarred  from  it,  he  would  finJ  me  un. 
happy  and  morose,  and  an  uncomfortable  inmate  for 
him  ;  but  that  wishing  to  siiew  him  all  due  respect, 
I  had  no  idea  of  annoying  him  by  prayin^r  in  our 
joint  apartment,  and  if  he  had  no  objection,  I  would 
choose  as  my  altar  the  corner  of  the  common  prison 
behind  the  door  of  our  room.  He  replied  rather  joc- 
ularly that  he  was  like  the  devil  not  so  black  as  he 
appeared  to  be,  and  that  all  my  holy  water  would  not 
make  him  drop  the  keys  out  of  his  hand.  "  Very  well," 
said  I,  '  I  am  glad  we  agree  so  well,  you  may  keep 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  53 

the  key  of  the  prison,  .ind  I  will  endeavour  to  obtain 
that  of  eternal  happiness.'  I  went  directly  to  the 
corner  I  had  named,  and  kneeling  down,  I  began  to 
pray  aloud,  without  calling  any  one  to  join  me ;  but 
my  companion  threw  himself  on  his  knees  at  my 
side,  as  did  also  another  poor  Protestant  who  was  im- 
prisoned for  debt.  My  prayer  was  chiefly  compos- 
ed  of  thanksgiving,  that  among  so  many  faithful 
servants  of  God,  he  had  been  pleased  to  select  me 
to  suffer  persecution  for  the  truth  of  his  Gospel,  soli- 
citing his  grace  to  enable  me  to  do  my  duty  in  this 
new  sphere.  I  did  not  forget  to  make  mention  of  the 
choice  of  Moses  rather  to  suffer  persecution  with  the 
people  of  God  than  to  sit  upon  the  throne  of  Pharaoh, 
and  also  the  zealous  protestations  of  St.  Paul,  that 
neither  death  nor  life,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers, 
should  be  able  to  separate  him  from  the  love  of  God, 
which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  I  prayed  also 
for  the  King,  that  God  would  be  pleased  to  put  it  into 
his  heart  to  examine  the  pure  faith  against  which  he 
issued  so  many  edicts,  and  that  he  might  be  changed 
from  its  persecutor  into  its  nurse  and  father.  The 
following  morning  I  went  to  prayer  in  the  same  cor- 
ner ;  and  continued  daily  night  and  morning,  and 
my  poor  ploughman  became  confirmed  in  his  faith, 
and  felt  so  bold  that  the  promises  and  threats  of  the 

5* 


54  A    TALE    OF 

Papists  no  longer  disturbed  him.  The  gaoler  and  his 
wife  being  accustomed  to  deal  with  haughty  turbulent 
spirits,  looked  upon  me  as  disordered  in  my  intellects 
when  they  found  I  considered  it  a  privilege  to  be  im- 
prisoned. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  55 


CHAPTER  V. 

Provost  and  Archers  make  another  tour — Firmness  of  the 
poor  country  people — Twenty  brought  to  prison — Supplied 
with  necessaries  by  Protestants  of  Saintes — Attempt  to 
bL^^KC  their  faith — Precaution  in  anticipation  of  separa- 
tion— Indictment  against  me — Confrontation — RecoUe- 
ment — Examination  of  witnesses — Agoust — Two  crimi- 
nals— Gaoler — Gaoler's  wife — Application  to  the  Seneschal 
for  enlargement — Accusation  of  King's  advocate — Placed 
in  a  dungeon — Removed  to  Town  Hall — Proposal  to  re- 
gain  freedom  by  bribery. 

When  I  had  been  in  prison  about  ten  days,  the  Pro- 
vost and  his  Archers  jet  out  upon  another  circuit,  and 
my  idea  was  correct  that  the  country  people  would 
no  longer  flee.  They  had  warning  time  enough  for 
the  timid  to  retreat  to  the  woods,  but  more  than  one 
hundred  and  fifty  persons  met  the  Provost,  and  ac- 
costed him  with  the  utmost  intrepidity,  saying:  "We 
have  all  attended  these  holy  meetings  and  prayed  to 
God  in  the  woods,  and  we  are  ready  to  justify  our 
conduct."  The  number  who  came  forward  being 
much  greater  than  those  against  whom  he  had  war- 
rants, an  examination  commenced,  and  those  whose 
names  were  not  on  the  list  were  put  on  one  side ; 
after  this  was  done,  the  remainder  was  still  too  large, 


56  A    TALE    OF 

(the  prisons  being  already  filled  with  Papists  who 
"were  committd  for  real  crimes,)  and  the  Provost  Su.id 
he  would  only  take  twenty.  A  holy  strife  then  arose 
anionjist  these  followers  of  the  Lord  as  to  who  should 
be  of  the  number.  The  Archers  were  thunderstruck 
at  the  scene  they  beheld.  "  What  are  you  about  ?" 
said  they.  "  Do  you  tet  no  value  upon  life  ?  What 
fury  urges  you  to  the  gallows  ?  Think  for  a  mo- 
ment of  your  wives  and  children  !  what  will  become 
of  them  ?"  They  tried  every  expedient  to  intimi- 
date  them,  and  swore  by  all  that  was  sacred  that  they 
would  only  leave  the  prison  for  the  rack,  the  gibbet, 
or  at  any  rate  the  galleys.  Tiiey  adduced  numerous 
instances  of  such  and  such  persons,  who,  for  similar 
ofTences,  had  been  hangod,  broken  on  the  Avheel,  6uC, 
&c.  These  words  acted  upon  them  like  wind  upon 
fire,  the  more  furious  and  violent  were  the  Archers, 
the  more  wai  the  zeal  of  the  people  kindled. 

At  length,  by  a  refinement  of  cruelty,  the  Provost 
determined  to  leave  behind  those  most  anxious  to  go, 
and  to  select  those  to  take  with  him  who  appeared 
least  eager. 

They  were  bound  together  two  and  two  a^  dogs 
are  coupled  fcr  hunting,  and  fastened  to  the  horses' 
tails.  Triese  poor  countrymen  betrayed  no  appre- 
hension, they  bade  adieu  to  their  wives  and  children 
with  dry  eyes,  and  the  wives  themselves,  having  put 


THE    UUGUENOTS. 


57 


their  hands  to  the  plough,  saw  their  husbands  depart 
without  a  murmur,  trusting  in  Him  who  has  promis 
ed  to  be  a  husband  to  the  widow,  and  a  father  to  the 
fatherless. 

It  was  certainly  not  more  than  half  an  hour  after 
their  arrival  at  the  prison,when  ten  beds  with  all  com- 
pletc  and  an  abundant  supper  were  sent  to  them  ;  and 
it  deserves  to  be  recorded,  that  during  the  whole 
time  of  their  imprisonment  the  good  Protestants  of 
Saintes  took  care  to  supply  them  with  every  necessa- 
ry,  and  the  manna  was  not  more  abundant  in  the 
wilderness  than  food  in  the  prison. 

Their  beds  were  placed  on  one  side  of  the  large 
room,  apart  from  the  Papists.  In  the  evening  I  went 
to  prayer  as  usual,  they  all  knelt  around  me,  and 
God  who  has  promised  his  assistance  to  all  who  ask 
in  faith,  did  indeed  answer  our  prayers,  for  we  ex- 
perienced  a  holy  joy  and  peace,  which  cannot  be 
understood  by  any  who  have  not  tasted  for  them- 
selves.  From  time  to  time  attempts  were  made  to 
undermine  the  faith  of  these  poor  people,  and  induce 
them  to  recant,  and  doctrinal  arguments  were 
brought  forward  which  they  were  unable  to  answer. 
I  dared  not  instruct  them  openly,  or  even  converse 
with  them  upon  religious  subjects,  but  they  would 
speak  among  themselves  of  these  difficulties,  and  as 
I  was  walking  up  and  down  the  large  room,  I  listen. 


58  A    TALE    OF 

ed  to  what  they  were  saying,  and  when  the  hour 
of  prayer  returned,  I  availed  myself  of  what  I  had 
overheard,  and  I  would  put  up  a  petition,  that  if  the 
enemies  of  tiie  Lord  should  ask  me  such  and  such 
questions,  or  make  use  of  such  and  such  arguments, 
I  might  receive  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  be  enabled  to 
answer  for  the  faith  that  was  in  me  in  such  and 
such  a  manner  ;  and  thus  I  contrived  to  prepare  them 
for  the  Bishop's  chaplain  who  visited  them  daily. 
During  three  weeks  the  Bishop  and  many  other 
Papists  were  unceasing  in  their  endeavours  to  cause 
some  of  these  poor  people  to  fall,  but  thanks  be  to 
God,  it  was  all  in  vain.  At  length  they  found  out 
the  secret  of  our  strength,  and  that  prayer  was  the 
invincible  armour  of  our  faith  ;  and  so  they  deter- 
mined to  remove  me,  thinking  that  when  the  poor 
countrymen  were  left  to  themselves,  they  might  work 
upon  their  fears  as  successfully  as  they  had  done 
upon  the  mason.  I  had  foreseen  this  step,  and  taken 
precautions  accordingly,  recommending  them  to 
continue  praying  aloud,  one  for  the  rest ;  and  if  he 
also  were  taken  away,  another  to  take  the  place,  so 
lone:  as  even  two  should  be  left.  For  their  further 
encouragement,  I  told  them,  that  by  this  expedient 
it  was  not  improbable  that  we  might  be  placed  to- 
gether again. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  59 

The  King's  Solicitor  had  prepared  an  indictment^ 
consisting  of  three  charges. 

1st.  I  had  taught  in  the  prison,  and  prevented  my 
companions  changing  their  religion. 

2nd.  I  had  given  offence  to  the  Catholics  who 
were  in  prison. 

3d.  I  had  interrupted  the  Priest  in  his  celebration 
of  Divine  worship. 

I  have  forgotten  to  mention  that  there  was  a  small 
chapel  attached  to  the  prison,  where  the  Priest  said 
Mass  every  morning,  and  I  had  selected  the  same 
time  for  our  devotions,  because  the  Papists  were  then 
generally  absent. 

Two  of  the  witnesses  against  me,  whose  ears  had 
been  offended  by  the  Holy  name  of  God  being  pro- 
nounccd  within  their  hearing,  were  men  who  had 
waylaid  a  neighbour  on  the  highway,  murdered  him 
and  mangled  his  body,  for  which  crime  they  were 
afterwards  broken  on  the  wheel.  Oh  !  how  infamous 
for  a  Huguenot  to  attempt  to  pray  to  God  in  the 
presence  of  such  worthy  Catholics,  and  wound  their 
delicate  consciences  with  his  fanatical  discourse. 
Great  God  !    what  times  ! 

Before  I  was  removed,  they  brought  me  into  Court 
for  examination,  and  they  began  first  with  the  of- 
fence for  which  I  was  originally  committed  to  pri- 
son. 


60  A    TALE    OF 


• 


On  these  occasions,  the  accused  is  permitted  to  ask 
the  witnesses  as  many  questions  as  he  pleases,  in  the 
presence  of  the  Seneschal  or  President,  and  the  Reg- 
ister ;  and  he  has  the  right  to  have  such  answers  as 
he  considers  favourable  to  him  committed  to  writing. 
This  is  called  'confrontation.'  The  President  on  be- 
half of  the  King  cross-examines  both  the  accused  and 
the  witnesses,  and  has  all  the  answers  recorded  that 
he  considers  of  sufficient  importance.  This  is  call- 
ed  'recoUement.'  And  upon  this  '  confrontation'  and 
♦  recollement'  all  the  instructions  for  the  prosecution 
turn.  Tlioy  are  read  by  judges  to  the  number  of 
twelve  or  fifteen,  who  are  lawyers  of  course,  and  arc 
called  counsellors. 

At  the  time  of  judging,  the  witnesses  are  not 
brouglit  to  the  bar  as  in  England,  but  the  '  confron- 
tation'  and  '  recollement'  only  are  produced ;  and  as 
each  witness  has  been  separately  examined,  without 
knowing  what  any  other  has  said,  it  is  a  good  way 
of  eliciting  the  truth.  It  is  all  important,  you  must 
perceive,  for  the  accused  to  be  on  the  alert  to  discov- 
er, if  possible,  any  falsehood  in  the  witnesses. 

The  only  witness  against  me  was  Agoust,  who  had 
made  oath  to  seeing  me  on  Easter  Day,  among  the 
poor  people  returning  from  the  meeting  in  the  woods. 
He  was,  as  I  have  already  said,  a  pettifogging  attor- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  61 

ney,  and  consequently,  well  qualified  to  support  false- 
hood without  contradicting  himself. 

Truth  in  the  end  generally  triumphs  over  falsehood, 
and  so  it  was  on  this  occasion,  for  I  extracted  from 
him  at  different  times,  and  amidst  a  host  of  useless 
questions,  the  following  replies  : — 

1st.  That  the  time  he  saw  me  was  in  the  dusk  of 
the  evening. 

2nd.  That  he  was  standing  at  his  window. 

3rd.  That  I  was  in  Mr.  Mouillere's  meadow. 

4th.  That  the  distance  was  about  a  musket  shot 
from  where  he  was  standing. 

5th.  That  it  was  not  in  my  way  home  from  the 
woods. 

You  will  readily  conclude  that  I  only  obtained 
these  answers  at  long  intervals,  putting  many  irre- 
levant questions  to  him  in  the  mean  time,  in  order  to 
make  him  lose  sight  of  the  inconsistency  of  his  pre- 
sent replies  with  those  already  recorded. 

The  President  was  out  of  all  patience  with  me, 
for  consuming  his  time  in  asking  so  many  foolish 
questions.  As  Agoust  had  been  a  Protestant,  and 
had  turned  Papist  to  retain  his  office  as  attorney,  I 
endeavoured  to  trouble  his  conscience,  and  putting 
together  the  above  named  answer,  I  said  to  him ; 
"  Miserable  wretch  that  you  are,  was  it  not  enough 
that  you  should  deny  your  baptism  and  your  religion 

6 


62  A    TALE    OF 

but  you  must  also  employ  false  testimony  to  tempt 
those  whom  God  supports  by  his  grace.  Now  ;  look 
at  your  statements  and  give  the  glory  to  God.  You 
were  at  your  window  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  and 
you  recognised  me  at  the  distance  of  a  musket  shot. 
What  sort  of  eyes  do  you  pretend  to  liave  ?"  He 
was  much  confused  at  this,  and  said,  "  At  any  rate  I 
thought  it  was  you." 

"  Write  that,"  said  I  to  the  Register. 

Tlie  President,  seeing  hi^  prey  about  to  escape  him, 
got  into  a  violent  passion,  and  reproached  me  with 
abusing  the  witness. 

"You  have  perplexed  and  confused  him,"  said 
be. 

"  Wiiat"  said  I  "  are  you  sorry  that  I  have  forced 
truth  from  his  lips  ?  I  looked  up  to  you  as  my  judge, 
but  I  now  see  reason  to  fear  you  as  my  persecutor." 

I  requested  the  Register  several  times  to  write 
down  the  last  most  decisive  answer,  but  he  looked  for 
permission  to  the  President,  who  shook  his  head.  I 
then  insisted  that  he  should  write  down  that  the  wit- 
ness no  longer  said  he  had  seen  me,  but  only  that  he 
thought  he  had  seen  me. 

The  President  v.'ished  to  dictate  it  in  modified 
terms,  but  I  declared  that  if  it  were  not  written  down 
verbatim,  nothing  should  induce  me  to  sign  my  con- 
frontation, and  finally  he  yielded  ;  I  believe,  from  the 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  63 

fear  he  entertained  of  my  protesting  against  his  pro- 
ceedings, which  would  have  been  to  his  great  disho- 
nour. 

The  first  blow  avoided  ;  you  shall  now  see  how  I 
got  clear  of  the  dreadful  accusation  of  having  pray- 
ed to  my  God  in  prison.  The  two  witnesses  after- 
wards broken  on  the  wheel  were  first  examined. 
One  of  them  had  been  brought  up  a  Protestant,  and 
all  he  could  remember  hearing  me  say  was  "  Our  fa- 
ther who  art  in  heaven."  The  second  could  not  re- 
member even  as  much  as  that.  The  gaoler  was  the 
third  witness,  and  his  accusation  being  that  I  had 
prevented  the  recantation  of  the  people.  I  enquired 
of  him  whether  he  had  ever  heard  me  speak  to  them 
about  religion. 

«  No,"  said  he. 

"  Did  I  even  call  them  to  prayers  ?" 

«No." 

I  asked  no  more  from  him. 

The  fourth  witness  was  the  gaoler's  wife,  and  she 
was  expected  to  prove  that  I  had  interrupted  the 
priest  in  celebrating  Mass.  She  had  some  talent 
and  was  a  great  bigot,  therefore  some  little  dexterity 
was  required  in  dealing  with  her. 

You  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  chapel  was  sepa- 
rated from  the  main  body  of  the  prison  by  a  little 
court,  and  also  that  it  was  on  the  ground  floor,  and 


64  A    TALE    OF 

the  common  room  of  the  prison  was  in  the  second 
story,  and  I  prayed  in  the  corner  of  that  room  most  re- 
mote from  tlic  chapel,  and  with  my  hack  towards  it,  and 
in  a  subdued  tone  of  voice,  only  just  loud  enough  to  be 
audible  to  those  around  me.  It  would  indeed  have  re- 
quired lungs  much  stronger  than  mine  to  bavc  made 
myself  heard  in  tiie  chapel ;  the  President  well  knew 
that  it  was  an  impossibility ;  and  if  there  were  no  other 
evidence  of  the  falsity  of  the  accusation,  the  non-ap- 
pearance  of  the  Priest,  (said  to  have  been  disturbed) 
as  a  witness,  would  have  been  sufficient. 

When  the  gaoler's  wife  came  forward,  I  complain- 
ed to  her  of  the  injustice  of  the  preceding  witnesses, 
and  said,  that  I  was  sure  a  devout  woman,  such  as 
she  was,  could  not  have  been  shocked  to  see  poor 
people,  for  wbom  punishment  was  in  storr^,  humbling 
themselves  before  their  God,  and  that  as  all  my  ex- 
pressions  were  taken  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  they 
could  not  have  given  offence  to  a  good  Christian 
like  her.  She  replied,  that  my  words  had  not  given 
her  offence. 

That  was  written. 

"  However,"  said  I,  "  you  had  a  much  better  op- 
portunity of  hearing  me  than  any  of  the  other  wit- 
nesses ;  do  not  you  remember  passing  close  by  my 
feet  one  morning  when  I  was  praying,  as  you  went 
from  one  room  to  the  other  ?" 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  65 

She  said  she  remembered  it  well. 

I  had  that  written,  almost  in  spite  of  the  President, 
who  considered  it  so  useless  a  question.  After  a 
few  unimportant  queries,  I  asked  her  if  she  ever 
heard  me  call  any  one  to  prayer. 

"  No,"  said  she,  "  but  as  soon  as  they  see  you 
kneel  down,  they  run  like  wild  fire." 

I  then  asked,  if  she  ever  heard  me  forbid  these 
people  to  change  their  religion. 

"  No." 

These  answers  were  written. 

I  then  enquired  whether  she  was  able  to  remember 
a  sermon  she  heard  from  one  of  the  preachers  of  her 
OWA  religion.  She  was  piqued  that  I  should  have  a 
doubt  on  the  subject,  a.nd  answered  most  unhesita- 
tingly, that  she  could  remember  it. 

I  did  not  require  that  to  be  written,  but  with  hum- 
ble apology,  I  begged  she  wouid  do  me  the  favor  to 
repeat  to  the  President  any  passages  she  could  re- 
member of  my  prayers,  because  I  was  persuaded 
that  he  would  esteem  me  for  them,  rather  than  wish 
me  evil. 

She  was  abashed  at  acknowledging  any  deficiency 
in  the  memory  of  which  she  had  just  now  boasted,  and 
said,  she  could  not  oblige  me  because  I  always  spoke 
m  so  low  a  tone  that  she  could  not  hear  what  I 
said. 

6* 


66  A    TALE    OF 

That  was  written,  and  I   was  satisfied. 

We  both  signed  tlie  confrontation  or  rather  refu. 
tation  of  the  accusation.  The  witnesses  having  all 
contradicted  themselves,  I  told  the  President  that  in- 
stead of  sending  mc  to  a  worse  prison,  I  had  a  right 
to  expect  that  he  would  enlarge  me. 

Tiie  king's  advocate  answered,  accusing  me  in  an 
indignant  tone  of  having  caused  illegal  aaserablies  in 
the  prison. 

I  answered  pleasantly  enough  that  he  was  wrong 
in  imputing  the  crime  to  me,  the  Grand  Provost  and 
his  Archers  had  to  answer  for  that,  and  I  could  as- 
sure liim  that  if  he  would  open  the  prison,  I  would 
disperse  the  assembly. 

"  It  is  no  jesting  matter,"  said  he,  "  you  have  pre- 
vented the  conversion  of  these  poor  people." 

I  then  spoke  with  more  seriousness,  and  said  "You 
must  perceive  by  the-confrontation  that  you  are  mis. 
taken  ;  but  for  the  sake  of  argument,  suppose  it  to  be 
otherwise  ;  I  look  upon  the  conversion  of  the  soul  as 
exclusively  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  and 
that  perseverance  in  our  religion  cannot  be  attribu- 
ted  to  any  mere  man,  but  rather  to  Him  who  tries 
the  heart  and  the  reins,  and  strengthens  whom  he 
pleases."  "  I  am  ashamed,"  said  I,  "  to  plead  before 
Christians  cis  Christians  formerly  pleaded  before  Pa- 
gans ;  and  now  just  imagine  yourself  in  the  situation 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  67 

of  one  of  us.  What  would  you  think  of  a  religion 
which  should  impute  it  to  you  as  a  crime,  that  you 
had  prayed  to  God  out  of  the  deep  gulph  of  your  af- 
fliction ?  Would  you  be  disposed  to  embrace  such  a 
religion  ?" 

He  was  moved  at  this  appeal,  but  the  President  re- 
mained  inflexible,  and  said,  I  must  go  to  the  dun- 
geon of  the  tower  of  Pons. 

I  then  spoke  with  warmth  and  indignation,  and 
told  him,  that  being  convinced  of  my  innocence,  as  I 
felt  persuaded  he  was,  he  forgot  his  duty,  and  was 
more  inveterate  against  me  than  the  King's  advocate, 
who  in  virtue  of  his  oflice  was  my  prosecutor,  and  I 
added,  that  if  he  thought  putting  me  in  a  dungeon 
would  prevent  my  calling  upon  my  Creator,  he  was 
much  mistaken,  for  the  greater  the  aflliction  the  more 
urgent  would  be  my  supplications,  and  that  I  would 
not  forget  in  my  prayers  to  beg  that  God  would 
be  pleased  to  give  him  repentance  and  a  better  mind. 
He  very  quietly  said,  he  wanted  none  of  my  prayers 
or  lectures,  and  called  to  the  Serjeant  to  do  his  duty. 

I  was  taken  to  the  tower  of  Pons,  and  put  into  a 
miserable,  dark,  filthy  dungeon  at  8  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  I  found  it  already  tenanted  by  one  of  the 
culprits  who  was  awaiting  his  trial  for  murder. 
We  had  not  much  conversation.  He  asked  me  what 
was  the  general  opinion  of  him,  and  he  also  wished 


68  A    TALE    OF 

to  know  if  I  could  tell  him  anv  thlnjx  of  the  mode  of 
cxamininf,^  by  torture.  I  told  iiim  that  he  was  be- 
lieved to  be  guilty,  and  the  probability  was,  that  if 
he  were  so,  some  one  of  his  companions  would  con- 
fess, and  they  would  all  suffer. 

"What,"  said  he,  "if  I  go  through  the  torture 
without  confessing,  and  the  others  accuse  me  false- 
ly, shall  I  I)c  broken  on  the  wheel  all  the  same  ?" 

I  said  that  all  particulars  might  be  so  circumstan- 
tially given,  that  he  would  find  it  impossible  to  deny 
any  longer. 

"Ah  Jesu  Maria  !"  he  cried  out,  in  such  a  tone 
as  left  me  no  doubt  of  his  being  really  guilty.  I  en- 
deavoured to  waken  him  to  repentance,  and  assured 
him  that  God's  mercy  was  still  open  to  him. 

He  had  a  curiosity  to  know  what  my  crime  might 
have  been,  and  upon  learning  it  he  said,  "  Alas,  sir, 
why  do  not  you  change  your  religion  ?  This  is  a 
sad  place  for  one  like  you." 

Poor  wretch  !  I  could  readily  believe  that  he  would 
have  acted  up  to  the  advice  he  gave  me  ;  and  the 
probability  is,  that  had  he  been  brought  up  a  Protes- 
tant, recantation  would  now  have  saved  his  life. 
He  Wcis  next  day  put  to  the  torture,  ordinary  and  ex- 
traordinary ;  he  bore  all  in  silence,  nothing  could  be 
drawn  from  him  ;  one  of  his  accomplices  confessed, 
and  all  three  were  broken  on  the  wheel. 


THE    HUGUEIS'OTS.  69 

Owing  to  the  incessant  importunity  of  Mademoisel- 
le De  la  Burgerie,  afterwards  wife  of  Col.  de  Bois- 
ron,  I  was  taken  out  of  this  stinking  place  at  nine 
o'clock  the  same  night.  She  was  well  acquainted 
with  the  Seneschal,  and  represented  to  him  in  the 
strongest  language  the  infamy  of  his  proceedings,  and 
she  would  not  rest  until  he  gave  her  an  order  for  my 
removal. 

My  next  prison  was  a  very  elevated  one,  it  was  in 
a  small  tower  at  the  top  of  the  town  hall  of  Pons, 
open  to  the  town  clock,  circular  in  its  form,  and 
ten  or  twelve  feet  in  diameter.  I  procured  a  small 
bedstead,  three  chairs,  and  a  table,  and  I  lived 
there  three  months  in  tolerable  comfort.  I  v/as  to 
be  sure,  rather  dependent  on  the  caprice  of  the  Sene- 
schal ;  sometimes  he  would  not  allow  any  person  to 
enter  my  apartment  for  eight  or  ten  days ;  and 
again,  at  other  times,  he  would  grant  admission  to 
any  and  every  body  who  would  pay  the  porter  a  few 
pence.  I  was  visited  by  many  worthy  and  excellent 
persons,  through  whose  instrumentality  I  was  enabled 
to  send  prayers,  copied  by  unknown  hands,  suited  to 
the  condition  of  my  dear  fellow  sufferers  in  the  pri- 
son ;  and  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  learning  that  they 
persevered  in  their  daily  devotions,  and  not  one  of 
them  was  persuaded  to  recant. 

It  is  worth  mentioning  that  my  solitude  was  never 


70 


A    TALE    OF 


disturbed  by  Bishop,  Jesuit,  Priest,  or  Monk,  though 
they  never  allowed  a  day  to  pass  without  visitinn-my 
companions.  No  one  ever  proposed  to  me  to  change 
my  religion  ;  so  true  is  it  that  if  you  resist  the  devil 
he  will  flee  from  you. 

It  was  hinted  to  me  again  and  again,  that  I  might 
let  myself  out  with  a  silver  key,  but  as  I  had  only  en- 
tered  the  prison  for  the  benefit  of  my  poor  neigh- 
hours,  I  was  determined  not  to  quit  it  by  means  en- 
tirely  out  of  their  reach.  I  had  also  another  reason, 
which  alone  would  have  been  sufficient  to  make  me 
decline  this  plan  ;  namely,  that  it  would  hold  out  an 
inducement  to  the  avaricious  Seneschal  to  treat  other 
Protestants  with  severity  in  order  to  extort  money 
from  them.  ]\Iy  advocate,  Mr.  Maureau,  and  some 
other  friends  were  anxious  to  take  the  matter  upon 
themselves,  and  so  arrange  it  as  not  to  cost  me  a 
farthing,  but  I  scorned  the  proposal,  and  assured 
them  that  if  they  dared  to  take  such  a  step  without 
my  consent,  I  would  proclaim  publickly  that  the 
President  had  taken  money  to  enlarge  me. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  71 


CHAPTER   VI. 

Trial  before  the  Presidency — A  digression — My  defence — 
Angry  discussion  with  the  President — Query — My  reply- 
Sentence. 

The  month  of  August  had  come  round  by  the  time 
that  the  process  was  ready  to  be  brought  before  the 
Presidency  in  the  Hall  of  Justice. 

In  this  court  the  prisoner  is  not  allowed  to  have 
an  advocate  to  plead  for  him,  but  has  to  appear 
alone.  The  door  is  locked  and  guarded  by  Archers. 
The  President  sits  in  the  centre,  the  Judges  or 
Counsellors  on  each  side,  the  Register  remains  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  Hall,  and  the  prisoner  is  usual- 
ly  seated  near  him  on  a  three  legged  wOoden  stool, 
as  a  mark  of  disgrace.  There  is  a  saying  in 
France,  "  he  has  sat  upon  the  stool,"  which  is  tan- 
tamount  to  the  English  phrase,  "  I  have  seen  him 
hold  up  his  hand  at  the  bar." 

The  testimony  recorded  in  the  confrontation  is 
read  to  the  accused,  and  he  is  asked  if  it  be  correct, 
and  if  the  signature  attached  to  it  be  his.  The  Judges 
then  examine  him  more  fully,  and  if  it  be  a  case  ad- 
mitting of  appeal  to  Parliament,  the  answers  are  re- 


t2  A    TALE    OF 

corded.  The  examination  finished,  the  accused  is 
taken  back  to  prison,  and  the  sentence  of  the  court, 
in  writing,  is  sent  to  him  by  a  sheriff's  officer. 

In  preparing  myself,  I  thought  much  more  of  my 
poor  neighbours  than  of  myself,  because  I  was  real- 
ly innocent  of  the  charge  in  the  indictment,  they 
were  not ;  and  without  the  assistance  of  an  advocate 
I  was  somewhat  apprehensive  about  them,  and  I  de- 
termined, if  I  had  an  opportunity,  to  say  something 
that  might  be  useful,  either  in  softening  the  hearts 
of  the  Judges,  or  alarming  their  consciences,  as 
might  appear  most  expedient  when  the  time  came. 
I  prayed  most  fervently  to  God  for  his  assistance. 

I  will  make  a  digression  here,  which  you  will  pre- 
sently perceive  is  not  altogether  irrelevant  to  the  sub- 
ject. My  apartment  under  the  Town  Clock  looked 
into  the  court  yard  of  one  of  my  Judges.  He  was 
a  very  passionate  man  and  addicted  to  gambling, 
though  said  to  be  an  able  jurist. 

Two  or  three  days  before  my  trial  I  was  awakened 
out  of  my  sound  sleep  at  midnight,  by  this  man 
swearing  and  making  the  most  horrible  noises ;  he 
had  just  returned  home  after  losing  around  sum  of 
money  in  play,  and  mad  with  vexation,  he  was  vent- 
ing his  rage  upon  his  innocent  wife  and  children.  I 
thought  I  heard  blows,  but  of  that  I  was  not  sure. 

To  return  to  my  trial.     When  I  entered  the  Hall 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  73 

of  justice,  the  Register  civilly  offered  me  the  three 
legged  stool :  I  declined  it,  saying,  I  was  no  criminal 
to  deserve  the  disgrace.  He  then  attempted  to  force 
me  upon  it,  which  the  Court  observing,  ordered  him 
to  desist,  and  one  of  the  Judges  smiling  said,  "  Mr. 
Fontaine  is  a  voung  man,  and  he  might  miss  a  good 
match  by  it." 

I  made  a  profound  bow. 

I  was  asked  whether  I  had  not  prayed  to  God  in 
the  wood  on  Easter  Sunday. 

I  said  "  No,  and  I  can  produce  any  number  of 
witnesses  to  prove  an  alibi,  if  you  will  allow  me ;  I 
spent  that  day  at  Coses." 

Little  was  said  about  my  crime  in  prison,  because 
I  acknowledged  unhesitatingly  that  I  had  prayed 
there,  but  not  with  my  full  voice. 

After  some  other  questions,  they  asked  ma  if  I  did 
not  know  that  his  Majesty  had  issued  a  Declaration 
forbidding  illegal  assemblies.  I  thought  that  God 
had  now  opened  the  door  for  me  to  urge  something 
on  behalf  of  my  fellow  prisoners,  and  I  said  ; — 

"  Gentlemen  ;  I  am  aware  of  it,  and  I  have  read 
the  Declaration  most  carefully  over  and  over  again, 
and  I  can  find  nothing  in  it  which  forbids  people  as- 
sembling to  pray  to  God.  I  look  upon  it  as  the 
height  of  injustice  to  his  Majesty,  to  pretend  that  he 
calls  such  assemblies  unlawful,  and  you  who  are  the 

7 


74  A    TALE    OP 

interpreters  of  his  Declaration  ought  to  have  more 
respect  for  him,  and  for  your  own  reputation  as  Chris- 
tians, than  to  give  it  so  bad  an  intrepretation  as  to 
call  those  assemblies  illegal,  to  which  no  arms  are 
carried  but  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  and  where 
no  words  are  spoken  but  such  as  find  an  echo  in  the 
sacred  volume,  and  where  prayers  are  offered  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  King  and  his  kingdom,  and  for  the 
conversion  of  those  who  persecute  the  Church  of 
Christ." 

An  interruption  occured  here  ;  ray  advocate,  Mr. 
Maureau,  had  been  listening  at  the  door,  and  think- 
ing I  was  too  bold,  he  put  his  mouth  to  a  crevice,  and 
cried  "  Hist,  Hist,  Hist,"  and  ran  away.  The  door 
was  opened,  but  the  offender  was  not  to  be  found,  so 
they  contented  themselves  with  guarding  it  more 
carefully.  This  incident  roused  the  attention  of  my 
Judges,  and  hoping  to  draw  me  into  some  unguard- 
ed expression  which  might  be  made  a  handle  of, 
they  encouraged  me  to  proceed,  which  I  did  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"  Illegal  assemblies,  gentlemen,  it  appears  to  me, 
are  assemblies  where  something  is  done  contrary  to 
law,  such  as  tumultuously  assembling  in  arms  to  con- 
spire against  the  state  ;  and  I  see  none  other  to 
which  it  can  be  applied  without  losing  sight  of  the 
correct  meaning  of  words  ;  but  if  we  were  to  extend 


THE    nUGUEIsOTS.  75 

its  application,  It  is  evident  it  should  be  to  those  meet- 
ings held  in  summer  on  Sunday  evenings,  where  they 
play,  dance  on  the  green,  quarrel  with  one  another, 
and  blaspheme  their  Maker  on  his  appointed  day  of 
rest.  Such  assemblies  might  perhaps  fall  within  the 
meaning  of  the  Declaration,  however  I  do  not  hear 
of  any  one  being  taken  up  for  attending  iliem.,  while 
the  prisons  arc  filled  with  those  whose  only  crime 
has  been  praying  to  God.  In  the  name  of  all  that  is 
sacred.  Gentlemen,  how  dare  j'ou  give  such  an  intrr- 
pretation  to  his  Majesty's  Declaration  without  trem- 
bling  to  think  of  the  wrath  of  the  King  of  Kings  ? 
You  who  assemble  nightly  at  balls,  where  they  dance, 
speak  evil  of  their  neighbours,  and  squander  their 
money,  and  perhaps  loose  in  gambling  that  which  is 
wanted  to  support  their  wives  and  children,  and  re- 
turn home  to  be  a  burden  where  they  ought  to  be  a 
blessing.  You,  I  say,  who  are  now  sitting  in  judg- 
ment upon  others,  v/ill  one  day  stand  before  the  just 
Judge  of  all  the  world,  and  in  that  awful  day,  think 
you  that  He  will  condemn  those  who  have  worship, 
ped  Him.  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  or  those  who  have 
frequented  your  assemblies  ?" 

«  Aha  !"  cried  the  President "  your  rebellious  spirit 
breaks  out  at  last,  you  not  only  sermonize  and  re- 
proach us,  but  you  say  the  King  issues  Declarations 
wherein  he  forbids  assemblies  where  they   pray  to 


VO  A    TALE    or 

God,  and  permits  those  in  whicli  the  Divine  Majesty 
is  blasplicnicd.  Register  ;  that  is  the  sense  of  his  re- 
ply,  write  it  down." 

"It  is  not;"  said  I. 

He  then  rose  up  in  great  anger,  and  said ;  '•  I  am 
void  of  understanding  if  it  mean  any  thing  else." 

Some  of  the  Judges,more  calm,  said  they  had  bet- 
tcr  listen  to  what  I  had  to  say. 

TJiis  was  politic  on  their  part,  because  an  appeal 
to  Parliament  was  open  to  me,  and  if  I  would  not 
sign  my  name  to  the  answers  recorded,  they  might 
get  into  trouble,  and  he  obliged  to  verify  on  oath 
every  word  they  had  made  the  Register  write  as  com- 
ing  from  me. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  I,  "  the  sense  of  v.  Iiat  I  did  say 
I  take  to  be  this  ;  that  the  King  by  his  Declaration 
of  such  a  date  never  meant  to  prohibit  assemblies 
Aviiere  they  pray  to  God,  but  much  rather  balls,  and 
Sunday  evening  assemblies  for  dancing  on  the  green, 
and  more  especially  those  wherein  they  conspire 
against  the  state."  ^ 

"  No,"  said  the  President  "  that  is  not  it." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  "  to  put  an  end  to  the 
dispute,  I  am  very  wilhng  to  dictate  verbatim  to  the 
Register  all  that  I  have  said  ;"  and  I  was  about  to 
begin. 

"  What !"  cried  the  President,  «  that  long  sermon 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  77 

over  again,  no  ;  that  would  be  rather  beyond  endu- 
rance. 

At  last,  in  order  to  save  the  trouble  of  the  long  re- 
ply, they  consented  to  take  the  the  following  as  the 
tenor  of  it. 

"  According  to  my  judgment,  the  Declaration  of 
his  Majesty  of  such  a  date  does  not  forbid  assemblies 
where  they  only  pray  to  God,  and  I  think  those  who 
extend  its  application  so  far,  depart  from  the  inten- 
tion of  his  Majesty."  This  was  written,  and  I  sign- 
ed the  document. 

The  President,  by  way  of  showing  my  stubborn- 
ness (as  he  called  it)  to  the  Court,  then  said  to  me, 
"  Mr.  Fontaine,  we  have  no  more  questions  to  put  to 
you  as  an  accused  person,  but  merely  as  a  matter  of 
curiosity,  I  wish  to  know  from  you  whether  you 
think  a  private  individual,  we  will  say,  a  mechan- 
ic, for  instance,  can  understand  the  Holy  Scriptures 
as  well  as  the  learned  Doctors  and  Councils  ?" 

I  answered,  "  I  must  make  some  discrimination 
before  I  reply  to  your  query.  Suppose  the  individual 
in  question  should  be  blessed  with  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  the  Doctors  and  Councils  should  not,  (which  I 
think  very  possible)  then  I  am  of  opinion  the  former 
would  understand  the  sacred  volume  the  best,  be- 
cause the  same  Spirit,  by  which  the  Scriptures  were 
dictated,  is  necessary  for  their  correct  understanding. 

7* 


78  A    TALE    OF 

Our  blessed  Lord  and  his  poor  fishermen  found  them- 
selves opposed  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  at  Je- 
rusalem. And  to  come  nearer  to  our  own  days, 
Lutlier  and  Calvin,  to  a  certainty,  understood  the 
Scriptures  better  than  all  the  Popes,  Cardinals,  and 
Councils  put  together." 

At  these  words  they  all  arose,  crying  out,  "  Jesu 
Maria  !   what  infatuation  !" 

"  Ere  long,  gentlemen,"  said  I,  "  we  shall  all  be 
summoned  to  leave  this  vain  world,  and  we  shall  then 
see  whose  has  been  the  infatuation." 

I  was  taken  back  to  prison,  and  my  companions 
succeeded  me  in  the  Hall  of  Justice. 

The  sermon,  which  it  was  reported  I  had  preached 
to  the  Court,  made  a  great  noise  in  the  place,  it  was 
the  topic  of  conversation  equally  among  Papists  and 
Protestants,  each  dressing  it  up  according  to  their 
own  fashion.  The  Judges  themselves  said  I  had 
put  the  rope  round  my  own  neck.  I  received  visits 
and  letters  of  condolence  from  many  of  the  principal 
Protestants,  and  they  all  blamed  me  for  my  indiscre- 
tion, but  they  did  not  know  how  cautiously  I  had 
expressed  myself ;  and  when  I  told  them  the  whole 
truth,  and  the  form  in  which  my  answers  had  been 
recorded,  they  no  longer  reproached  me. 

I  appealed  to  Parliament  before  I  had  even  read 
the  sentence  of  the  Presidency,  which  was  handed 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  79 

to  me  next  day.  I  was  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  of  a 
hundred  livres  to  the  King  for  having  prayed  in  pri- 
son,  and  declared  for  ever  incapable  of  exercising  any 
function  of  the  Holy  Ministry. 

My  companions   were   condemned  to  make  tlie 
«  amende  honourable,"  to  be  banished  from  the  Pro- 
vince for  six  months,  to  pay  all  expenses  and  one  hun- 
dred crowns  in  specie ;  and  a  further  fine  of  six 
thousand  francs  was  laid  upon  us  all,  collectively  and 
individually.     The  object  of  the  last  clause  was  to 
squeeze  the  money  out  of  me.  as  I  was  the  only  one 
in  circumstances  to  pay  it.     I  tendered  the  hundred 
livres  imposed  upon  me  individually,  and  then  de- 
manded my  enlargement,  or  at  any  rate  the  liberty 
of  going  in  and  out  of  the  prison.     This  was  refused, 
therefore  I  was  under  the  necessity  of  calling  upon 
ray  friends  to  present  my  request  to  Parliament. 


80  A   TALE    OP 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Appeal  to  Parliament — Copy  of  factum — President's  observa- 
tions upon  it — Sentence  reversed — Register  refuses  copy 
of  the  decree — Apply  for  redress — Return  home. 

The  Parliament  of  Bourcleaiix,  or  rather  of  Guienne, 
then  held  its  sittings  at  La  ReolJe  ;  and  by  its  order 
we  were  removed  to  the  prison  of  that  town,  which 
was  so  full  that  tlie  gaoler,  contented  with  his  en- 
trance fee,  allowed  us  to  go  and  come  on  "parole" 
as  we  pleased.  This  was  very  advantageous  to  me, 
giving  me  the  opportunity  of  making  personal  appli- 
cation to  Parliament,  proving  my  own  innocence, 
and  exposing  the  injustice  of  the  Presidency  of 
Saintr?,  which  I  hoped  to  exliihit  in  its  true  colours. 

I  had  my  factum  printed,  of  which  the  following 
is  a  true  and  faithful  copy. 


" FACTUM. 


J5 


"James  Fontaine  is  accused  of  two  things.  The 
one  of  being  found  in  the  assemblies  held  in  the  wood 
of  Chatelars  near  Royan,  and  the  other  of  having 
been  heard  praying  to  God,  in  the  prison  of  Saintes. 
With  regard  to  the  first  accusation,  it  is  based  upon 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  81 

the  testimony  of  only  one  witness,  named  Agoust, 
who  made  affidavit  to  having  seen  him  at  the  distance 
of  one   hundred  paces   from   his   own   house,   and 
two  hundred  paces  from  the  place  where  the  assem- 
blies were  said  to  have  been  held.     At  the  confronta- 
tion this  witness  admitted  that  he  only  thought  he 
had  seen  him  from  a  window,  and  that  too,  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening,  at  a  distance  of  three  or  four 
hundred  paces ;  and  upon  the  strength  of  such  testi- 
mony  as  this,  the  said  Fontaine  has  been  confmed 
four  months  in  the  prisons  of  Saintes,  which  are  ex- 
tremely rude  in  their  accommodations.     The  charge 
of  praying  to  God  rested  upon  the  evidence  of  four 
witnesses,  who  contradicted  themselves  upon  cross- 
examination,  and  it  appeared  that  the  said  Fontaine 
merely  knelt  down  in  a  corner  of  the  prison,  and 
spoke  in  so  low  a  tone  that  the  gaoler's  wife,  after 
acknowledging  that  she  passed  within  one  pace  of 
him  when  he  was  kneeling  down,  was  not  able  to  re- 
peat a  single  word  of  what  he  had  said.     After  the 
breviate  of  the  case  was  completed,  the  Seneschal  in 
the  most  extraordinary  manner  refused  to  judge,  and 
the  said  Fontaine  was  obliged  to  take  legal  steps  in 
consequence  ;  and  after  four  months  delay,  the  Attor- 
ney-general's deputy,  recognising  the  injustice  of  the 
proceeding,  called  for  further  enquiry,  and  the  sen- 
tence resulting  therefrom  is  the  subject  of  the  pre- 


82  A    TALE    OF 

sent  appeal.  Tiie  said  Fontaine  has  been  declared 
guilty  of  contravening  the  King's  Edict,  and  has 
been  condemned  to  pay  a  fine  of  a  hundred  livres, 
and  declared  for  ever  incapable  of  exercising  the 
functions  of  candidate  or  of  ^Minister.  The  said  Fon- 
taine  appealed.  lie  tendered  the  sum  of  one  hun- 
dred livres  (the  fine  imposed  upon  him)  to  be  set  at 
liberty,  this  was  refused — but  he  has  since  obtained 
permission  to  go  in  and  out  upon  condition  of  return- 
ing to  the  prison. 

"  Tiiis  is  a  brief  statement  of  facts,  and  the  said 
Fontaine  now  proceeds  to  justify  his  appeal.  In  the 
first  place  the  testimony  of  a  single  witness  is  not 
sufficient  under  any  circumstances,  and  the  witness 
in  question  merely  testified  to  seeing  him  on  the 
highway,  and  not  at  the  place  of  meeting,  and  con- 
fessed afterwards  that  he  only  thought  he  had  seen 
him.  A  witness  to  Ije  depended  upon  should  speak 
Mith  certainty,  and  not  by  credit  vel  Jion  credit  any 
more  than  hearsay.  And  it  can  be  proved  that  the 
said  Fontaine  was  at  Coses,  distant  three  leagues,  on 
the  day  and  at  the  hour  named  by  the  witness.  As  to 
the  second  accusation  ;  who  would  condemn  a  man 
for  praying  in  prison  ?  The  very  situation  would 
lead  a  Christian  to  pray  more  frequently  and  fervent, 
ly.  In  order  to  convict  him  he  should  be  proved  to 
have  used  words  admitting   of  evil    construction  ; 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  83 

SO  far  from  it,  all  that  appears  is  that  he  was  on  his 
knees,  in  a  remote  corner  of  the  prison,  and  one 
witness  heard  him  say,  "  Our  father  who  art  in  hea- 
ven." The  said  Fontaine  concludes  that  having 
made  this  just  appeal,  the  former  decision  will  be  de- 

Glared  null  and  void." 

"  Monsieur  de  Labourin,  Reporter.'^ 
"  Signed.     Dumas.     Attorney." 
Presented  6th.  August  1684. 

When  I  presented  this  factum  to  the  President  of 
the  Parliament,  I  said  to  him,  "  My  Lord,  I  here  pre- 
sent you  with  a  true  statement  of  facts,  and  if  you 
find  the  least  discrepancy  or  exaggeration  when  you 
compare  it  with  the  evidence  which  will  be  brought 
before  you,  I  am  willing  not  only  to  have  the  sentence 
of  the  Seneschal  confirmed,  but  you  may  increase 
the  penalties  as  much  as  you  please." 

He  read  it  with  attention,  and  said  he  could  scarce- 
ly  imagine  it  was  correct,  for  what  inducement  could 
the  Seneschal  have  had  for  acting  thus. 

«  My  Lord,"  said  I,  «  his  is  the  spirit  of  avarice, 
which  he  hides  under  a  specious  display  of  false 
zeal ;  for  he  only  joined  me  in  the  sentence  with  the 
poor  people  to  make  sure  of  the  fine  and  costs  ;  I  can 
assure  you  that  the  fees,  which  are  his  perquisite, 
have  been  levied  with  an  unsparing  hand." 


84  A    TALE    OP 

The  form  of  proceeding  before  Parliament  is  the 
same  as  before  the  Presidency. 

When  I  entered  the  Hall,  the  stool  was  offered  to 
me  as  before  ;  I  looked  towards  the  President,  and  he 
kindly  exempted  me  from  the  opprobium.  I  was 
treated  most  respectfully,  no  unnecessary  questions 
were  asked,  and  I  received  full  justice.  I  obtained 
a  final  decision,  reversing  the  sentence  of  the  Presi- 
dency of  Saintcs,  and  acquitting  me  entirely.  My 
poor  neighbours  for  form's  sake,  were  banished  from 
the  province  for  six  months.  The  Seneschal  of 
Saintcs  was  ordered  to  restore  me  the  hundred  livres 
that  I  had  deposited,  and  he  was  prohibited  from  re- 
ceiving fees  on  this,  or  any  future  occasion,  where 
the  King  was  the  prosecutor.  Two  grievous  blows 
for  the  Seneschal. 

In  order  to  obtain  my  liberty,  and  recover  the 
fine,  I  must  produce  a  copy  of  the  decree.  The  Re- 
gister said  that  twenty-one  copies  would  be  necessa- 
ry, one  for  each  of  us,  which  would  have  been  very 
expensive.  He  knew  well  that  on  exhibiting  one  to 
the  gaoler,  he  would  let  us  all  out  of  prison,  and 
therefore,  (loving  money)  he  refused  to  let  me  have 
my  copy,  unless  I  paid  him  for  the  twenty-one. 

I  complained  of  this  delay  to  the  Lord  President, 
and  he  told  me  to  command  the  Register  from  him 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  85 

to  furnish  me  with  a  copy,  paying  only  for  that  sin- 
gle one. 

I  went  gladly  with  this  order,  but  the  chief  Re- 
gister was  so  great  a  man  that  he  interfered  but  lit- 
tle in  the  business  of  his  office,  and  he  sent  me  to  his 
deputy,  one  Garden,  who  said  it  was  none  of  his 
business.  I  returned  to  the  chief  Register,  for  I  did 
not  begrudge  my  steps,  and  he  told  me  that  Car  Jon 
had  better  speak  to  the  President.  For  several  days 
I  was  kept  on  the  move  from  one  to  the  other  with- 
out any  prospect  of  redress,  and  I  then  began  to  see 
into  the  object  of  all  this  delay.  This  day  was  the 
last  of  the  Court  sitting  before  the  Christmas  holy- 
days,  and  the  Register  and  his  deputy  thought  that 
the  Lords  of  Parliament  once  dispersed,  they  would 
keep  us  in  prison  during  the  whole  holydays,  unless  I 
would  pay  for  the  tv/enty-one  copies. 

I  determined  to  make  a  desperate  effort,  and  writ- 
ing my  grievance  on  a  slip  of  paper,  I  managed  to 
get  in  at  the  door  during  the  absence  of  the  Ser- 
jeant, and  appeared  before  the  Parliament,  with  the 
petition  in  my  hand.  Garden,  who  was  there,  call- 
ed the  Sei'j?ant,  hoping  to  have  me  carried  to  prison 
for  my  intrusion. 

Fortunately  the  President  saw  me,  and  called  out, 
<  Mr.  Fontaine,  have  you  not  got  your  deed  yet  ?" 

8 


86  A    TALE    OF 

"  No  indeed,"  my  Lord,  "  what  does  it  benefit  me 
to  have  tbund  favour  in  your  eyes,  and  that  you  have 
done  me  justice,  when  it  is  in  Mr.  Cardon's  power 
to  prevent  my  obtaining  the  necessary  record  of  it  ? 
ParUament  once  prorogued,  lie  will  leave  me  to  rot 
in  a  dungeon ;  and  foreseeing  this,  I  have  in  my 
despair,  made  bold  to  enter,  and  throw  myself  at  your 
feet  as  a  sup;>licant  for  justice." 

The  President,  extremely  indignant,  called  out, 
*'  Mr.  Cardon,  how  dare  you  disobey  my  orders  ? 
What  have  you  to  say  to  prevent  my  punishing  you 
as  you  deserve  ?" 

He  began  a  shuffling  excuse  about  not  having  re- 
ceived instructions  from  the  chief  Register. 

I  was  on  the  point  of  contradicting  him,  but  one 
of  the  Judges,  who  was  my  friend,  put  his  finger 
upon  his  lips  to  show  me  that  I  ought  to  remain  si- 
lent ;  and  I  presently  saw  it  ^\as  for  the  best,  be- 
cause the  President's  anger  was  only  increased  by 
an  apology  setting  at  naught  his  authority. 

"  And  so,  Mr.  Cardon,  my  order  is  a  dead  letter, 
unless  confirmed  by  the  Register !  If  you  know 
your  duty  no  better  than  that,  it  is  time  for  me  to 
have  done  with  you." 

Cardon,  in  dismay,  begged  pardon  with  all  humili- 
ty,  and  assured  the  Parliament  he  would  attend  to 
the  matter  instantly. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  87 

The  President,  turning  to  me,  said,  "  Sir,  if  you 
cannot  get  your  deed  to-day,  come  and  tell  me  ;  and 
when  you  do  receive  it,  let  me  know  how  much 
you  pay  for  it." 

I  made  a  low  bow  and  retired,  very  well  pleased. 

I  waited  patiently  for  the  adjournment  of  Parlia- 
ment, and  asked  Mr.  Cardon  as  he  came  out  to  give 
me  the  deed.  He  said  he  was  going  home  to  dinner, 
but  as  soon  as  he  had  dined  I  should  have  it.  I 
followed  him  to  his  mansion,  and  he  perceiving  it, 
recommended  me  to  go  and  get  m}-  own  dinner.  I 
told  him  I  was  determined  neither  to  eat  nor  drink 
till  I  was  possessed  of  th'^  deed  ;  and  I  waited  patient- 
ly outside  of  his  door  for  two  hours,  and  seeing  neith- 
er him  nor  the  deed,  I  knocked  ;  a  footman  opened 
the  door  a  very  little  way,  so  that  I  could  not  possibly 
get  in,  and  told  me  his  m.aster  was  out ;  nevertheless 
I  retained  my  position,  and  saw  several  persons  ad- 
mitted. At  last,  two  well-fed  Franciscan  Friars, 
coming  to  the  door,  I  followed  them  in  unobserved, 
and  keeping  close  in  the  rear  I  managed  to  get  into 
the  office,  and  waiting  until  their  business  was  finish- 
ed, I  rose  to  my  full  height  as  they  disappeared,  and 
stood  like  a  ghost  before  Cardon. 

"  What  devil  has  brought  you  here  ?"   said  he. 

I  replied  that  I  came  under  the  auspices  of  the 
good  fathers  who  were  just  gone. 


88  A    TALE    OF 

lie  handed  me  the  deed,  and  I  gave  him  in  gold 
the  one  and  twentieth  part  ol'  the  sum  he  had  demand, 
ed  for  furnishing  the  full  number.  To  my  surprise, 
he  returned  me  five  or  six  crowns. 

"  How  is  that  ?     Are  you  satisfied  ?"   said  I. 

"  No,"  said  he,  ^^■ith  much  asperity  of  manner, 
"  nor  shall  I  be  \mtil  I  see  you  with  a  rope  round 
your  neck." 

"  When  people  are  hung,"  said  I  "  for  praying  to 
God,  1  shall  have  reason  to  be  afraid,  and  you  will  be 
able  to  sleep  in  peace." 

I  took  the  deed  to  the  gaoler,  and  he  thereupon  re- 
leased us  all  from  our  *'  parole"  and  we  were  at  full 
liberty. 

I  should  not  have  dwelt  upon  this  subject  at  so 
much  length,  but  for  the  purpose  of  shov.ing  you  how 
many  diliiculties  we  had  to  contend  with  ;  every  one 
seemed  to  think  he  had  a  right  to  impose  upon  a  Pro- 
testant, even  down  to  a  Register's  clerk. 

From  this  detail  you  should  learn  to  stand  up  with 
firmness  and  use  every  energy  you  are  possessed  of 
to  overcome  obstacles,  and  not  sit  down  quietly  as 
some  do  to  complain  of  fatigue  and  rebuffs,  and 
make  no  effort.  Remember,  God  has  promised 
his  blessing  to  the  diligent  hand  as  well  as  the  up- 
right heart. 

In  the  course  of  the  day  I  called  to  take  leave  of 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  89 

my  Lord  the  President,  and  to  thank  him  for  all  Iiis 
kindness,  and  then  quite  victorious  I  turned  my  steps 
towards  Saintes.  I  made  the  Seneschal  refund  the 
hundred  livres  already  named,  and  once  more  I  set 
foot  within  my  own  dwelling.  The  expences  I  had 
incurred  during  my  imprisonment  amounted  to  two 
thousand  livres. 

Most  of  the  poor  people  returned  quietly  to  their 
own  homes,  which  was  winked  at,  and  they  received 
presents  from  charitably  disposed  Protestants  to  an 
amount  that  made  ample  amends  for  the  labor  which 
had  been  lost  to  their  families. 

The  history  of  our  imprisonment  spread  far  and 
wide,  and  I  received  letters  of  congratulation  from 
many  distinguished  individuals,  members  of  the  re- 
formed church,  amongst  others  from  the  Marquis  de 
Rouvigny,  father  of  Lord  Galway. 

Mr.  Benoist  gives  an  account  of  our  trial  and  im. 
prisonment  in  his  «  History  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes." 
You  will  find  it  in  the  third  part  of  the  third  vol- 
ume. 

8* 


90  A   TALK    OP 


CHAPTER.  Vm. 


Persecution  of  1685 — Meeting  of  ministers  and  ciders — My 
opinion  opposed  to  the  majority — Meeting  of  Protestants  at 
Royan — Mr.  Ccrtani  dissuades  numbers  from  emigration — 
Interview  with  him — Gloomy  forebodings — Departure  of 
many  persons — Dragoons  appear — Leave  home — Visit  sis- 
ters— Traverse  the  cotmtry — Place  bethrothed  in  safety. 


The  year  1685  opened  with  a  bitter  spirit  of  perse- 
cutlon,  far  beyond  all  that  had  proceeded  it.  There 
was  no  longer  the  slightest  semblance  of  justice  in 
the  forms  of  proceeding,  the  dragoons  ravaged  and  pi], 
laged  without  mercy,  resembling  in  their  progress 
a  lawless  and  victorious  army  in  an  enemy's  coun- 
try.  In  the  history  of  past  ages  we  look  in  vain  for 
any  record  of  such  cruelties  as  they  inflicted  upon  the 
tmoffending  and  unresisting  Huguenots.  They  were 
accountable  to  nobody  for  their  acts,  each  dragoon 
was  a  sovereign  judge  and  an  executioner,  and  he 
who  had  ingenuity  enough  to  invent  any  new  species 
of  torture  was  sure  of  applause,  and  even  reward  for 
his  discovery. 

Early  in  the  year  I  received  an  invitation  to  at^ 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  91 

tend  a  meeting  of  Ministers  and  Eiders  to  consult 
upon  what  ought  to  be  done  at  the  present  crisis. 

The  number  assembled  was  about  twenty-five. 

As  I  was  only  a  Candidate  and  not  a  Minister,  I 
had  no  right  to  be  present,  still  less  to  give  an  opi- 
nion  at  such  a  meeting,  but  my  deportment  in  prison 
had  gained  me  so  much  reputation,  that  young  as  I 
was,  the  Ministers  requested  me  to  give  them  my 
views. 

I  pointed  out  to  them  the  error  I  thought  they  had 
been  guilty  of,  in  preaching  as  they  did,  the  doctrine 
of  non-resistance  from  their  pulpits,  and  I  added  that 
it  appeared  to  me  that  our  quiet  submission  to  all  the 
King's  grievous  Declarations  had  encouraged  him  to 
go  on.  Obedience  to  one  edict  only  paved  the  way 
to  another  still  more  intolerable,  and  that  we  might 
blame  the  timid  policy  of  the  day  for  much  that  we 
had  suffered.  I  totally  dissented  from  the  generally 
received  doctrine,  that  our  lives  and  our  property  be- 
longed to  the  King,  and  I  looked  upon  it  as  reflect- 
ing discredit  on  our  ancestors,  who  had  obtained  for 
us,  sword  in  hand,  the  privileges  which  were  now 
taken  away.  In  short,  I  thought  there  was  nothing 
left  for  us  but  to  take  up  arms,  and  leave  the  issue  to 
the  Lord  of  Hosts. 

I  was  listened  to  thus  far  with  impatience,  and 
they  then  rebuked  me,  telling  me  I  had  none  of  the 


92  -'^    TALK    OF 

Spirit  of  the  Gospel,  which  was  patient  and  long-suf- 
fering, and  at  the  utmost  extremity  permitted  nothing 
but  fliglit. 

I  repUed  that  we  were  men  as  well  as  Christians, 
and  that  as  men,  we  had  rights  to  maintain  ;  and  if 
a  compact  entered  into  with  our  fathers,  in  virtue  of 
which  they  had  laid  down  their  arms,  was  broken,  we 
were  certainly  called  upon  to  enforce  its  fulfilment, 
if  necessary,  at  the  point  of  the  sword.  I  entreated 
them  to  reflect  that  this  immense  Protestant  popula- 
tion could  not  all  flee. 

I  was  again  interrupted,  but  I  begged  they  would  al- 
low me  to  say  one  word  more  ;  and  I  solemnly  called 
upon  them  to  think  of  the  thousands  of  souls  that 
would  be  eternally  ruined,  unable  to  support  persecu- 
tion  they  would  yield  to  the  tempter,  but  put  arms  in 
their  hands  and  they  would  willingly  hazard  life  for 
the  truth. 

They  looked  upon  me  rather  with  compassion  as 
an  impetuous,  headstrong,  young  man,  and  thought 
my  advice  altogether  unworthy  of  consideration. 

When  the  dragoons  made  their  appearance  in  our 
Province,  it  was  with  orders  to  over-run  all  the  other 
districts  before  they  visited  the  coast,  and  the  idea 
prevailed  that  sailors  were  to  be  spared. 

The  Intendant  of  Rochfort  sent  a  letter  to  Royan 
recommending  us  to  change  without  dragoons.     A 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  93 

large  meeting  v/as  held  to  deliberate  upon  a  suitable 
answer  to  this  smooth  letter.  My  voice  was  in  fa- 
vour  of  resistance,  and  I  said  I  was  convinced  we 
could  possess  ourselves  of  Rochfort  and  Brouage  in 
one  week. 

i  They  would  not  listen  to  me,  and  I  verily  believe, 
that  nothing  short  of  the  general  respect  entertained 
for  our  family  would  have  prevented  some  who  heard 
me  from  giving  information. 

The  answer  returned  was,  that  they  would  obey 
the  King  in  every  thing  that  was  consistent  with 
their  duty  to  God,  but  nothing  should  induce  them 
to  change  their  religion. 

They  told  a  very  different  story  when  the  dra- 
goons really  showed  themselves  amongst  them,  for 
the  principal  men  proved  arrant  cowards,  and  trod 
upon  one  another,  trying  who  could  get  into  the 
Church  first,  to  make  recantation.  It  was  amongst 
the  county  people  that  the  most  unshaken  faith  was 
found.  Before  the  dragoons  appeared,  a  good  many 
sailors  embarked  with  their  families,  and  crowds  fol- 
lowed  to  the  sea  shore  to  accompany  them  if  room 
could  be  found  for  them.  It  was  on  this  occasion 
that  a  Mr.  Certani,  the  Catholic  Priest  of  Royan  (a 
sensible  and  respectable  man)  went  down  to  the  shore 
and  dissuaded  many  from  embarking,  promising  that 
Royan  should  not  be  visited  by  dragoons,  the  King 


94  A    TALE    OF 

loving  his  brave  seamen  too  well  to  allow  them  to  be 
disturbed. 

And  to  give  additional  weight  to  his  advice,  he 
added  that  it*  wliat  he  had  said  was  not  true,  they 
were  welcome  to  burn  liim  alive  in  his  house.  Some 
allowed  themselves  to  be  persuaded  to  change  their 
plan.  I  was  not  at  home  on  that  day,  and  when  I 
heard  of  it  on  my  return,  I  went  to  Mr.  le  Cure  and 
told  him  I  came  to  bid  him  farewell,  for  I  was  cer- 
tain the  dragoons  would  soon  be  in  our  parish,  and 
[  did  not  mean  to  trust  myself  to  their  tender  mer- 
cies, if  I  could  help  it. 

He  urged  me  to  do  as  man^/  others  had  done,  ap. 
pear  to  change,  which  would  answer  every  pur- 
pose. 

I  answered,  that  I  could  not  lull  my  conscience 
sufficiently  to  take  such  a  step  as  that. 

He  then  told  me  in  confidence  that  he  was  him- 
self overwhelmed  with  grief  at  the  state  of  affairs  ; 
he  feared  the  just  judgements  of  God  would  overtake 
the  Catholics  for  forcing  people  to  approach  the  altar 
without  faith,  and  partake  of  that  holy  sacrament 
which  should  only  be  received  by  the  sincere  in 
heart, 

"  I  fear,"  said  he,  "  war,  famine,  and  pestilence  ! 
War !  what  is  more  probable  than  that  the  princes, 
with  whom  so  manv  Huguenots  have  taken  refu/re 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  95 

should  be  aroused  to  avenge  them  of  their  persecu- 
tors  ?  Famine !  for  who  will  cultivate  our  fields  ?  all  our 
young  people  are  leaving  us,  and  what  an  army  may 
be  raised  for  our  adversaries  out  of  these  brave  young 
men  whom  we  are  driving  away.  Pestilence  may 
naturally  be  expected  to  tread  on  the  heels  of  famine. 
And  who  can  say  that  we  do  not  deserve  these 
scourges  of  the  Almighty  for  our  profanation  of  his 
Holy  Altar." 

This  prophecy  of  the  Cure  was  literally  fulfilled, 
thouffh  he  did  not  live  to  see  more  than  its  commence- 
ment.     The  veteran  army  of  France,  formidable  to 
the  whole  world,  had  been  every  where  victorious 
till  it  made  war  upon  the  Saints,  and  then  it  expe- 
rienced the  most  gloomy  reverses.     The  soldiers  ap- 
peared to  be  shorn  of  their  strength,  and  God  took 
from  them  their  ancient  valour.     The  glory  of  Louis, 
whose  ambition  aspired  to  universal  monarchy,  de- 
parted from  him  when  he  raised  his  hand  against 
God's  elect,  and  he  lived  to  reap  his  reward  in  seeing 
himself  despised  as  he  deserved  to  be.     Famine  and 
poverty  covered  the  land,  the  gold  and  the  silver  dis- 
appeared, and  its  place  was  supplied  by  a  species  of 
enchanted  paper,  which  still  remains  in  their  port- 
folios  to  remind    them  of  all  that  they  have  lost. 
And  pestilence  also  has  overtaken  that  doomed  and 
wretched  nation.     France  !  miserable  France  !  my 


96  A    TALE    OF 

country,  wilt  thou  never  open  thine  eyes  and  unstop 
thine  ears  and  understand  the  language  in  which 
God  has  spoken  to  thee  ?  So  long  as  his  faithful  ser- 
vants were  cherished  in  thy  bosom,  his  blessing  was 
upon  tliec,  as  it  was  upon  Abinadab  while  the  ark 
rested  in  his  house  ;  but  thou  hast  driven  them  forth 
with  cruelties  imhcard  of,  and  thy  prosperity  has  de- 
parted with  them.  The  flood^i  have  gone  over  thee, 
O  that  tliou  wouldest  return  to  the  Almighty  and 
confess  thy  sins,  and  cease  to  forbid  his  true  and 
pure  worship  ;  and  his  blessing  would  return  to  thee, 
and  thy  days  would  be  bright,  and  prosperity  would 
again  appear  within  thy  borders. 

Sympathy  for  my  dear  native  land  has  carried  me 
away  from  my  conversation  with  Mr.  Lc  Cure.  To 
resume,  I  begged  him  not  to  draw  upon  himself  the 
just  indignation  of  an  injured  and  infuriated  commu- 
nity. He  deceived  himself,  I  told  him,  if  he  really 
believed  as  he  had  asserted  that  the  dragoons  would 
not  come. 

"  If  they  do  come,"  said  I,  "  recollect  the  penalty 
you  will  have  to  pay,  you  have  given  the  people  per- 
mission to  burn  you  in  your  house.  Nov/  I  solemn- 
ly declare  to  you,  that  I  have  this  day  heard  a  man 
(a  stranger  to  me)  swear  by  all  that  lie  held  sacred, 
that  if  you  had  used  deceit,  he  would  roust  you  alive 
and  carry  the  news  to  Holland." 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  97 

He  turned  pale  at  this,  and  said  he  had  expressed 
himself  so  strongly,  in  consequence  of  the  promise 
he  had  received  from  the  Intendant  of  Rochfort  that 
the  dragoons  should  not  come  ;  and  he  took  out  his 
letter  and  gave  it  to  me  for  perusal. 

"  Sir,"  said  I  "  how  came  you  (o  make  yourself 
answerable  for  the  Intendant  ?  Suppose  he  should 
not  keep  his  word  with  you.  Now  as  a  friend  I  be- 
seech you,  go  to  the  people  before  it  is  too  late,  and  re- 
tract what  you  have  said,  show  the  letter  to  them,  and 
they  can  attach  what  credit  they  like  to  it." 

He  thanked  me  for  my  advice  and  availed  himself 
of  it,  going  down  at  once  to  the  sea  shore.  During 
three  days  after  this  interview  great  numbers  em- 
barked, and  on  the  fourth  the  dragoons*  made  their 

*  The  Protestants  lost  most  of  their  strong  places  during  the 
reign  of  Louis  XIII,  and  the  remainder  in  tUat  of  Louis  XIV, 
80  that  they  were  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  Khig,  and  he 
promised  to  secure  to  them  liberty  of  conscience,  and  he  kept 
his  word  until  his  latter  days,  when  he  began  to  think  more 
upon  religious  subjects,  and  under  the  influence  cf  iMadame 
de  Maintenon,  and  his  Confessor  La  Chaise,  he  determined  to 
convert  all  the  Protestants  m  his  dominions  to  Catholicism. 
Colbert,  the  Minister  of  Finance,  though  a  Catholic  himself, 
estimated  at  its  real  value  the  superior  industry  of  the  Hugue- 
nots, and  he  opposed  violent  measures  successfully  so  long  as 
he  lived.  After  his  death  in  1683,  the  monarch  had  no  one  to 
restrain  him,  and  the  bigotted  coun'^el-^  cf  the  Confessor  and 

9 


98  A   TALE    OP 

appearance.     All  who  were  left  and  did  not  mean  to 
recant,  fled  and  concealed  themselves  in  the  woods. 

the  Chancellor  Le  Tellier  and  liis  son  strengthened  his  own  re- 
solves. Ahnost  all  the  noblemen  and  courtiers  recanted,  and 
Louis  thought  he  had  only  to  say  the  word,  and  their  exam, 
pie  would  be  followed  throughout  his  dominions.  Mission. 
aries  were  appointed,  and  furnished  with  large  sums  of  money 
to  make  converts,  they  gave  in  flattering  reports  cf  their  suc- 
cess ;  but  this  method  was  thought  too  ex])en6ive,  and  a  cheap- 
er plan  was  to  be  tried.  All  Protestants  were  excluded  from 
public  office,  children  were  allowed  to  recant  at  the  age  of 
seven  years,  and  severe  penalties  were  enacted  against  relapse. 
Tliis  caused  emigration,  and  those  in  power  opened  their  eyes 
wide  enough  to  perceiv^e  that  in  the  departure  of  seamen  and 
artisans  they  were  losing  many  of  their  most  valuable  subjects, 
and  to  put  a  stop  to  it  they  issued  an  edict  prohibiting  emigra- 
tion on  pain  of  death. 

The  Protestant  Churches  were  next  ordered  to  be  demolish 
ed,  and  no  less  than  700  were  destroyed  even  before  the  revo- 
cation of  the  edict  of  Nantes. 

The  last  measure  adopted  was  that  which  has  been  known 
by  the  name  of  dragooning  *  and  if  we  had  not  the  most  un- 
doubted  testimony  on  the  subject,  it  would  be  impossible  to  be- 
lievc  tliat  such  horrors  could  have  been  perpetrated  under  the 
mask  of  the  Christian  rehgion. 

*  We  believe  that  the  use  of  the  word  dragoon  as  a  verb, 
implying,  to  abandon  to  the  rage  of  the  soldiery,  is  actually 
derived  from  the  cruelties  practised  during  these  persecu- 
tions. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  99 

I  left  mv  house  at  midnight  never  to  return  to  it, 
with  my  valet,  and  a  horse  for  each  of  us,  and  a 
portmanteau.  I  was  well  armed,  and  I  resolved,  if 
I  did  encounter  the  dragoons,  to  sell  my  life  as  dear- 
ly as  possible.  My  house  was  amply  furnished,  and 
I  had  removed  nothing.  Two  hours  after  my  depar- 
ture, eighteen  dragoons  took  possession  of  it,  and 
lived  there  until  they  had  consumed  or  sold  every 
thing  they  could  lay  hands  upon,  even  to  the  locks 
and  bolts  of  the  doors. 

I  rode  rapidly  forward,  choosing  bye-ways  with 
which  I  was  well  acquainted  in  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try.  At  break  of  day,  approaching  Jemosacq  I  met 
a  body  of  soldiers  who  had  compelled  the  people  re- 

A  day  was  appointed  for  the  conversion  of  a  certain  district 
and  the  dragoons  made  their  appearance  accordingly,  they 
took  posssesion  of  the  Protestants'  houses,  destroyed  all  that 
they  could  not  consume  or  carry  away,  turned  the  parlours 
into  stables  for  their  horses,  treated  the  owners  of  the  houses 
with  every  species  of  cruelty,  depriving  them  of  food,  beating 
them,  burning  some  alive,  half  roasting  others  and  then  letting 
them  go,  tying  mothers  securely  to  posts  and  leaving  their  suck- 
ing infants  to  perish  at  their  feet,  hanging  some  upon  hooks  in 
tlie  chiranies  and  smoking  them  with  wisps  of  wet  straw  un- 
til they  were  suffocated,  some  they  dipped  in  wells,  others  they 
bound  down  and  poured  wine  into  them  through  a  funnel  un- 
til reason  w^as  destroyed,  and  many  other  tortures  were  inflict- 
ed, some  even  more  horrible  than  the  above  named. 


100  A    TALE    OP 

maining  in  that  place  to  do  the  duty  of  the  times 
(as  it  was  called,)  and  they  were  hastening  elsewhere 
to  make  more  conversions.  They  came  upon  me  so 
suddenly  and  unexpectedly  that  I  liad  no  time  to  re- 
treat,  and  I  knew  that  if  I  were  recognised  it  would 
go  very  hard  with  me,  but  I  thought  it  best  to  ride 
boldly  forward  and  salute  them  as  I  passed.  My 
horses  were  noble  animals,  worthy  of  carrying  a  gen- 
eral officer  and  his  aid  de  camp  ;  I  had  scarlet  hous- 
ings  with  black  fringe,  and  holsters  for  my  pistols, 
and  thougli  I  was  dressed  in  black,  I  had  taken  the  pre- 
caution  of  putting  on  a  large  periwig,  and  crape  upon 
my  hat  in  order  to  evade  the  suspicion  that  might 
otherwise  have  attached  to  my  dress.  The  officers 
(thanks  be  to  God  for  it)  took  me  for  a  country  gen- 
tleman, and  returned  my  salutation  very  civilly. 

Ihc  first  stoppage  I  made  was  at  the  house  of  my 
Aunt  Jaguald  (my  mother's  sister,)  she  had  not 
changed  her  religion,  but  her  son  had  done  so,  to  es- 
cape dragooning.  I  spent  one  day  and  night  with 
her,  and  strove  to  strengthen  her  fuith,  and  I  have 
reason  to  believe  that  she  remained  firm  to  the  day 
of  her  death. 

I  went  next  to  Jonzac  where  I  had  two  married 
sisters  living,  and  sad  to  relate,  they  had  both  recant, 
ed  to  avoid  the  dragoons.  I  continued  my  route,  ex- 
tremely depressed,  towards  St.  Meslars  to  visit  my 


THE    HUGUENOTS  101 

youngest  sister  Anne,  and  there  my  heart  was  cheered 
to  find  her  firm  in  faith,  even  though  her  hushand  had 
changed  his  religion ;  and  she  never  rested  until  she 
persuaded  him  to  leave  France  with  her.  After  sev- 
eral  days  of  sweet  and  delightful  converse  with  this 
dear  sister,  I  went  to  St.  Mesme  to  see  Mr.  Forestier 
and  my  sister  Mary,  but  they  had  already  fled. 

Wherever  I  went  I  tried  to  do  some  good,  strength- 
ening  those  who  were  firm,  and  denouncing  those 
who  had  fallen,  trying  if  possible  to  persuade  them 
to  abjure  their  abjuration.    It  was  most  distressing  to 
see  what  numbers  had  made  shipwreck  of  their  faith. 
Many  persons,  who  had  suffered  persecution,  lost  all 
their  property,  and  still  did  not  yield  to  the  tempter,  fell 
victims  at  last  to  the  evil  counsels  of  false  friends,  who 
persuaded  them  that  God  having  ordered  them  to 
honor  and  obey  the  King,  they  broke  his  command- 
ment  by  refusing  to  obey  the  King's  Decrees  ;  and 
thus  they  became  idolatrous  renegades,  adoring  that 
which   they  well  knew  to  be  nothing  more  than  a 
morsel  of  bread.     I  was  so  grieved  at  the  extent  of 
defection  that  I  fell  sick,  lost  my  strength  and  spirits, 
and  suffered  much  from  billious  vomitings.     I  often 
encountered  parties  of  soldiers,  and  so  great  was  my 
depression  that  I  should  not  have  been  sorry  if  they 
had  attacked  me,  and  life  had  become  so  burdensome, 
that  I  would  willingly  have  parted  with  mine,  espec- 

9* 


102  A    TALE    OF 

ially  if  I  could  in  the  struggle  have  despatched  some 
of  the  Ringleaders  of  the  devil's  armies. 

You  must  know,  though  a  poor  soldier  on  foot  be- 
ing weakly  and  lame,  I  was  an  excellent  horseman, 
and  a  good  shot.  I  could  hit  a  mark  at  twelve  or 
fifteen  paces  with  my  horse  at  full  gallop.  One  of 
iny  horses  was  an  Arabian,  remarkably  fleet,  and  if  I 
gave  him  the  bridle  he  would  move  with  the  swift- 
ness of  a  race  horse,  stretching  out  his  legs  and  doubl- 
ing them  so  as  almost  to  touch  the  ground  with  his 
body,  dazzling  his  rider's  eyes  by  his  speed,  but  with- 
out any  uneasiness  from  the  motion.  I  knew  that 
none  of  the  dragoons  could  overtake  me  when  moun- 
ted  upon  him,  and  I  determined  if  pursued  to  fight 
like  the  Parthians  ;  wait  for  any  one  of  them  who 
should  distance  the  rest  by  the  fleetness  of  his  horse, 
shoot  him,  and  gallop  off,  charging  my  pistol  to  be 
ready  for  another.  Thus  I  may  say  I  scarcely  fear- 
ed a  whole  company,  lor  they  could  not  come  up  to 
me  in  a  body,  and  one  by  one,  I  was  certain  I  could 
dispose  of  several  of  them.  In  addition  to  this,  I  was 
so  well  acquainted  with  the  country,  that  it  gave  me 
a  great  advantage  over  them,  and  in  extremity  I 
could  avail  myself  of  windings  among  the  woods  where 
no  stranger  would  have  dared  to  follow.  But  my 
chief  reliance  has  always  been  upon  my  Heavenly 
Father,  I  tried  to  serve  him  to  the  best  of  my  power, 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  103 

and  in  his  infinite  mercy  he  has  protected  me  through 
raan}^  and  great  dangers.  He  even  obtained  for  me 
important  assistance  from  the  enemies  of  the  Gospel 
cus  you  will  presently  perceive. 

Having  but  little  money  with  me,  and  no  prospect 
of  adding  to  my  store,  I  began  to  think  a  valet  was 
rather  too  great  an  expense,  and  I  dismissed  him, 
and  at  the  same  time  hit  upon  an  excellent  plan  for 
recruiting  one  of  my  horses,  while  I  was  travelling 
about  on  the  other.  Between  Jonzac  and  Jcmosacq 
there  was  a  castle  belonging  to  the  Count  of  Jonzac, 
a  great  persecutor,  as  was  the  fashion  among  the 
courtiers.  I  used  to  rest  sometimes  at  a  small  Inn 
upon  his  estate,  a  very  safe  place,  as  I  was  person- 
ally unknown,  because  being  all  papists  there  was  no 
fear  of  dragoons  appearing.  Mine  host  was  a 
humane,  simple  peasant,  and  I  told  him  that  having 
some  business  to  transact  which  detained  me  from 
home,  I  should  look  upon  it  as  a  great  favor  if  he 
would  have  one  of  my  horses  put  in  the  meadow  be- 
low ;  he  sent  for  the  groom  who  took  care  of  the 
Count's  horses,  and  he,  seeing  that  something  was  to 
be  gained,  very  readily  consented.  I  used  to  return 
there  every  week,  or  two,  or  three  as  might  be  conve- 
nient to  me,  and  change  my  horse,  leaving  the  jaded 
animal  to  recruit  in  the  meadow.  I  pursued  this  plan 
regularly  for  three  mouths  at  least,  and  during  the 


104  A    TALE    OF 

whole  time  I  found  the  people  uniformly  kind  and 
faithful  to  me. 

It  was  by  no  means  uncommon  for  me  to  be  six  or 
seven  days  without  the  opportunity  of  undressing  my- 
self, or  so  much  as  being  able  to  draw  ofT  my  boots ; 
afraid  to  venture  abroad  in  the  day  time,  I  gener- 
ally rode  from  place  to  place  in  the  night. 

iNIy  troubles  were  increased  by  the  anxiety  and 
uncertainty  I  felt  about  the  safety  of  Mademoiselle 
Boursiquot,  your  dear  mother,  to  whom  I  had  given 
my  afiections,  with  every  confidence  of  an  equal  re 
turn  from  her.  I  had  at  length  an  opportunity  ot 
placing  her  in  safety,  and  I  conducted  her  to  Mr. 
Brejon's.  He  was  an  advocate  who  had  changed  his 
religion,  and  he  held  the  office  of  man  of  business  to 
the  Duke  of  Montausier,  therefore  I  felt  certain  that 
his  house  must  be  as  secure  an  asylum  as  could  be 
found. 


THE    HUGUENOTS. 


105 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Revocation  of  Edict  of  Nantes— Preparations  for  flight— Diffi. 
culties  and  dangers— Land  in  England-Cheap  bread— Spec 
ulate  in  grain — Cruelty  of  a  ship  Captain. 

In  the  month  of  October,  1685,  the  Edict  of 
Nantes=^  was  actually  revoked.     Of  course  there  was 

*  Surely  this  act  has  been  incorrectly  termed  the  Revoca- 
tion  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  All  its  provisions  had  been  repeated 
long  ago  by  royal  edicts  and  ordinances,  except  the  bare  toler- 
ation  of  Protestantism  in  some  few  towns  and  districts.  The 
edict  of  22d.  October  1685  forbade  all  exercise  of  the  reformed 
religion,  ordered  the  clergy  to  expatriate  themselves  within  a 
fortnight,  imless  they  would  recant,  and  in  that  case  their  in- 
comes  were  to  be  increased  one  third,  and  continued  to  their 
wives.  All  infants  were  requu-ed  to  receive  popish  baptism, 
and  every  one  caught  in  the  attempt  to  escape  (unless  he  was 
a  minister)  was  condemned  to  the  galleys  for  life. 

In  1686,  the  enactments  were  still  more  severe.  A  Protes- 
tant taken  in  the  act  of  public  worship  was  punished  with 
death,  and  all  Protestant  clergymen  whether  natives  or  foreign- 
ers  were  to  be  executed.  To  increase  the  vigilance  of  the  sol- 
dier}^  a  reward  of  three  or  four  pistoles  was  given  for  every 
Protestant  that  was  taken  up. 

In  spite  of  the  care  with  which  the  coast  and  frontiers  were 
guarded,  it  is  believed  that  not  less  than  50,000  families  made 


106  A    TALE    OF 

no  choice  left,  flight  was  the  only  alternative,  and  I 
went  to  Marennes  to  make  preparations  in  good 
earnest,  and  was  fortunate  in  finding  an  English 
Captain  with  whom  I  was  ahle  to  make  a  bargain. 
He  agreed  to  take  me,  and  four  or  five  persons  in 
addition,  at  the  rate  of  ten  pistoles  each,  and  wo  were 
to  assemble  at  Tremblade  tor  embarkation.  I  went 
immediately  to  fetch  your  dear  mother,  her  sister 
Elizabeth,  and  my  niece  Janette  Foresticr  ;  the  latter 
was  my  god-daughter  and  of  course  I  felt  it  incumbent 
upon  me  to  provide  for  her  safety.  I  mentioned  our 
project  to  some  few  persons  who  I  thought  would 
gladly  have  availed  themselves  of  it,  but  their  fear 
was  stronger  than  their  hope,  and  they  dared  not 
venture  to  encounter  so  many  dangers,  the  Coast  be- 
ing carefully  guarded  both  by  sea  and  land  to  pre- 
vent emigration.  We  lodcjcd  at  the  house  of  a  drunk- 
ard  in  Tremblade,  who  being  able  to  speak  the  English 
language  was  to  be  our  pilot.  His  imprudence  and 
drunkenness  combined  made  our  position  one  of  great 
danger  while  under  his  roof.  After  several  days  of 
cruel  suspense,  the  Captain  desired  us  to  be  in  readi- 

tlieir  escape,  and  they  enriched  every  land  that  received  them, 
carrying  arts  and  manufactures  and  industry  in  their  train,  and 
it  has  been  remarked  by  close  observers  that  their  descendants, 
up  to  this  day,  continue  to  be  distinguished  for  virtue  and  re- 
spectability. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  10* 

ness  on  the  next,  and  told  us  that  he  intended  to 
pass  betAveen  the  Isle  of  Oleron  and  the  main  land, 
and  that  if  we  would  be  on  the  sands  near  the  Forest 
of  Arvert,  he  would  send  a  boat  ashore  for  us. 

We  set  off  in  the  night  and  had  two  horses  to 
carry  our  little  baggage.     In  the  course  of  the  fol- 
lowing  day  upwards  of  fifty  persons  assembled  on  the 
sands  hoping  to  embark  with  us  ;  and  most  of  them 
being  very  young,  they  had  not  taken  due  precau- 
tion  to  conceal  their  intention,  and  it  had  reached  the 
ears  of  the  Papists,  who  very  promptly  obtained  an 
order  from  the  Custom  House,  to  prevent  the  vessel 
sailing.     We  waited  anxiously  all  day,  in  ignorance 
of  th^  detention  of  the  vessel,  and  while  in  this  dis- 
tressing  state  of  suspense  I  called  them  all  around  me 
and  addressed  them,  and  then  I  put  up  a  prayer  suited 
to  our  conditon  ;  and  when  you  rerd  it  (you  will  find 
a  copy  among  my  papers)  you  will  feel  certain  that 
it  must  have  been  a  prayer  of  the  heart  as  well  as  the 

lips. 

The  Cure  of  Tremblade  had  heard  some  rumour  of 
what  was  going  on,  and  he  set  out  for  the  shore  with 
another  person  to  look  for  us.  They  were  on  foot, 
and  were  once  so  near  to  us  that  we  actually  saw 
their  dog  which  was  a  little  in  advance  of  them,  when 
they  weTe  most  providentially  met  by  two  fchermen 
who  had  seen  us  and  sympathised  with  us,  and  they 


109  ;A    TALE    OF 

purposely  misled  them.  They  enlarged  to  them  upon 
the  great  danger  they  were  in  of  losing  themselves 
amongst  the  sand  hills,  and  undertaking  to  guide 
them,  they  led  them  officiously  to  a  path  hy  which 
they  would  l>c  sure  not  to  find  us. 

At  niaht  horses  were  sent  down  for  us  to  return  to 
Tremblade,  and  fifteen  or  twenty  of  our  number  were 
taken  in  hy  a  citizen  who  had  changed  his  religion. 
He  was  in  a  dreadful  fright,  for  there  was  a  fine  of 
1,000  crowns  for  harbouring  a  Protestant ;  and  the 
houses  of  suspected  persons  were  liable  to  be  search- 
ed  at  any  moment.  After  concealing  us  the  whole 
day,  his  fear  got  the  better  of  his  humanity,  and  to- 
wards  night  he  turned  us  out  of  his  house ;  saying, 
"  I  have  damned  my  own  soul  to  save  my  property, 
and  I  am  not  going  to  run  the  risk  of  losing  it  to 
save  your  souls.  You  must  do  as  I  have  done  or 
take  your  chance  elsewhere."  We  were  depressed 
by  this  cruel  treatment,  but  we  know  not  what  is 
best  for  us,  for  in  the  sequel  we  found  abundant  rea- 
son to  bless  God  for  it. 

We  had  not  left  his  house  more  than  half  an  hour 
before  a  magistrate  and  some  soldiers  went  to  it,  and 
examined  every  part  most  carefully  in  search  of  se- 
creted Protestants.  We  did  the  best  we  could,  one 
finding  shelter  here,  another  there,  and  we  experi- 
enced much  greater  humanity  from  the  fishermen's 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  109 

wives  than  from  the  rich  people  ;  and  in  the  cottages 
of  the  foriner  we  spent  the  next  four  or  five  days. 

The  Captain  came  to  us  again  to  say  that  he  would 
sail  most  certainly  on  the  following  day ;  that  he 
would  pass  between  the  Islands  of  Re  and  Oleron, 
and  i£  we  were  disposed  to  venture  out  to  sea  in 
small  boats,  he  would  take  us  on  board  after  he  had  got 
rid  of  all  visitors,  Custom  House  officers,  &c.  and  that 
he  could  not  assist  us  in  any  other  way.  That  very 
evening  the  30th.  Nov.,  1685,  (French  or  new  style) 
we  embarked  in  a  little  shallop  as  soon  as  it  was  dusk  ; 
our  party  consisting  of  your  dear  mother,  your  aunt 
Elizabeth,  Janette  Forestier,  njyself,  two  young  men 
from  Bourdcaux,  and  six  young  women  from  Mar- 
ennes.  Under  cover  of  the  night  we  passed  by  all  the 
pinnaces  that  were  keeping  guard,  and  the  fort  of 
Oleron,  without  being  discovered  ;  and  at  ten  o'clock 
in  the  morning  we  dropped  our  anchor  to  wait  for 
the  ship.  We  had  instructed  our  boatmen  that  if 
we  were  pursued  they  were  immediately  to  run  the 
boat  ashore,  abandon  her,  and  then  '  sauve  qui  pent.' 
I  was  well  armed  ready  for  such  an  emergency,  be- 
cause I  could  place  no  reliance  upon  my  poor  lame 
limb  helping  me  in  the  hour  of  need,  and  I  had  resolv- 
ed to  defend  myself  to  the  last  gasp,  an'i  never  to  be 
taken  alive.     I  was  not  put  to   the  trial,  for  God 

10 


no  A   TALE    OF 

guided  us  in  safety,  and  closed  the  eyes  of  our  ene- 
mies. 

We  had  agreed  with  the  EngUsh  Captain  that 
when  we  saw  him,  we  should  make  ourselves  known 
by  hoisting  a  sail  and  letting  it  full  three  times,  and 
he  was  to  answer  our  signal  by  lowering  his  mizzen- 
gail  three  times.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
we  first  espied  the  vessel  ;  she  had  the  official  visi- 
tors and  pilot  still  on  board.  On  reaching  the  ex- 
treme point  of  the  Isle  of  Oleron  we  saw  her  cast 
anchor,  put  out  the  visitors  and  pilot,  take  her  boat 
on  board,  get  under  weigh,  and  sail  towards  us.  We 
now  felt  a  confidence  that  we  had  surmounted  every 
difficulty,  and  expected  in  a  very  few  minutes  to  be 
under  full  sail  for  England.  Our  joy  was  of  short 
duration,  a  King's  Frigate  came  in  sight,  and  gradual- 
ly approached  us  ;  she  was  one  of  those  vessels  con- 
stantly employed  on  the  Coast  10  prevent  Protestants 
leaving  the  Kingdom,  and  all  who  were  found  were 
seized,  and  the  men  sent  to  the  galleys,  the  women 
to  convents.  No  language  can  describe  our  conster- 
nation at  this  sudden  change  in  our  prospects  ;  a  mo- 
ment  before  the  cup  of  joy  was  at  our  lips,  and  now 
dashed  to  the  gro  md.  We  were  at  the  distance  of 
a  cannon  shot  from  the  Frigate,  and  what  must  she 
think  of  us ;  a  little  bit  of  a  boat  at  anchor  in  a 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  Ill 

place  which  did  not  afford  safe  anchorage  even  for 
large  shipping.  She  cast  anchor,  ordered  the  Eng- 
lish  vessel  to  do  the  like,  boarded  her,  and  searched 
every  nook  and  corner  without  finding  any  French 
Protestants  except  a  Minister  and  his  family,  whose 
departure  was  authorised  by  law.  What  a  blessing 
that  we  were  not  on  board  at  this  time  !  Had  the 
Frigate  been  only  one  hour  later  in  appearing  we 
should  all  have  been  lost.  After  the  search,  the  Eng- 
lishman  was  ordered  to  sail  immediately,  the  wind 
was  favourable,  and  he  could  make  no  excuse,  and 
we  had  the  misery  of  seeing  him  leave  us  behind. 

Our  situation  was  dreadful,  we  were  in  perfect  des- 
pair, and  knew  not  what  to  do.  To  remain  where 
we  were  would  infallibly  excite  suspicion,  and  the 
Frigate  would  send  to  overhaul  us.  If  we  attempted 
to  return  to  Tremblade,  the  chances  were  a  hundred 
to  one  against  our  succeeding,  and  to  add  to  our  dis- 
may our  poor  boatman  and  his  son  (our  whole  crew) 
wept  aloud,  deploring  their  misery,  for  they  having 
already  abjured,  knew  well  that  nothing  short  of  a 
halter  awaited  them  if  detected  in  the  act  of  aiding 
Protestants  to  make  their  escape.  Through  the  whole 
course  of  my  life  prayer  has  been  my  constant  resource 
in  every  difficulty,  and  I  betook  myself  to  it  on  this 
occasion  as  usual,  and  felt  a  persuasion  that  God 


112  A    TALE    OF 

would  not  suffer  us  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  his  ene- 
mies and  ours. 

AH  at  once  I  thought  of  a  feint  which,  thank  God, 
proved  successful  and  effected  our  deliverance.  Hav- 
ing considered  that  the  wind  was  fair  to  Rochelle, 
and  contrary  to  Trcmblade,  I  said  to  the  boatman. 

"  Cover  us  all  up  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat  with  an 
old  sail,  then  hoist  your  sail,  and  go  right  towards  the 
Frigate,  pretending  to  endeavour  to  gain  Tremblade  ; 
and  if  they  should  hail  you  from  the  Frigate,  you 
must  say  you  are  from  Rochelle,  and  going  to  Trem- 
blade ;  if  they  ask  what  you  have  on  board ;  say, 
nothing  but  ballast ;  and  it  would  be  well  that  you 
and  your  son  should  counterfeit  drunkeness,  tumbling 
about  in  the  boat,  and  then  you  can,  as  if  by  acci- 
dent, let  the  sail  fall  three  times,  and  so  inform  the 
English  Captain  who  we  are."  He  determined  to 
abide  by  my  counsel,  and  after  covering  us  up,  he 
actually  sailed  within  pistol  shot  of  the  Frigate. 

As  I  expected,  she  hailed  him,  and  asked  whence 
he  came,  whither  he  was  going,  aud  what  he  had  on 
board.  To  all  which  he  replied  as  I  had  instructed 
him. 

"  But  what  made  you  cast  anchor  ?"  said  they. 

"  In  hopes,"  he  said,  "  that  the  wind  would  change 
and  I  might  make  Tremblade,  but  it  is  still  too  strong 
for  me." 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  113 

Just  then  the  son  fell  down  in  the  boat  and  drop- 
ped the  sail,  his  father  left  the  helm,  and  instead  of 
hoisting  the  sail  at  once,  took  a  rope's  end  and  pre- 
tended to  chastise  him,  the  hard  blows  falling  on  the 
wood  and  making  a  great  noise.  The  son  cried  out 
lustily,  and  the  people  in  the  Frigate  threatened  that 
if  the  father  would  not  have  more  patience  with  his 
son,  they  would  come  and  treat  him  in  the  same  way. 
He  excused  himself,  saying  that  his  son  was  as  drunk 
as  a  hog,  and  he  ordered  him  to  hoist  the  sail  a  se- 
cond time,  and  he  resumed  his  station  at  the  helm  ; 
the  son  let  the  sail  fall  as  soon  as  he  had  raised  it, 
and  repeated  the  same  manoeuvure  a  third  time,  and 
thus  gave  the  English  information  of  who  we  were. 

From  the  Frigate  they  entreated  our  boatman  not 
to  think  of  making  for  Tremblade,  that  night  was  ap- 
proaching and  he  would  inevitably  be  lost,  but  recom- 
mended him  to  return  to  Rochelle  with  the  fair  wind. 
This  was  exactly  the  advice  we  wished  to  receive. 
Our  course  v/as  altered,  the  boat  was  put  before  the 
wind,  and  we  bade  them  adieu  very  cordially.  In  the 
mean  time,  the  English  vessel  had  answered  our  sig- 
nal and  was  getting  fairly  out  to  sea,  we  dared  not 
follow  her  because  the  Frigate  remained  at  anchor  ; 
but  about  twiliglit  the  boatman  said  we  must  make 
the  attempt  before  night,  or  we  should  be  swallowed 
up  by  the  waves.     We  had  no  sooner  altered  our 

10* 


114  A    TALE    OP 

course  than  we  perceived  the  Frigate  taking  up  her 
anclior  and  setting  her  sails  ;  of  course  we  thought 
we  had  been  observed,  and  that  she  was  eoins:  to 
pursue  us,  and  we  again  turned  towards  Rochelle  in 
great  agony  of  mind.  Instant  death  would  to  any 
of  us  have  been  greatly  preferable  to  capture. 
Knowing  our  own  weakness  and  frailty,  we  feared 
persecution  might  destroy  our  constancy.  A  few 
minutes  put  an  end  to  our  anxiety,  for  we  saw  the 
Frigate  steering  towards  Rochfort-;  so  we  again 
changed  our  course,  the  English  vessel  slackened 
her  rate ;  we  overtook  her,  and  were  taken  on  board 
l>efore  the  Frigate  was  out  of  sight.  A  day  never 
to  be  forgotten  by  us,  who  effected  our  escape  from 
enemies,  who  had  not  only  power  to  kill  the  body 
but  have  destroyed  an  infinite  number  of  souls  also. 
My  dear  wife  and  I  have  fully  experienced  the 
truth  of  that  promise  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  to  give 
an  hundred  fold  more  even  in  this  present  life  to  those 
who  leave  all  to  follow  him.  We  have  never  wanted 
for  any  thing,  we  have  not  only  been  supplied  with 
necessaries,  but  comforts ;  and  oftentimes  luxuries 
also.  Certain  it  is  that  a  man's  life  consisteth  not 
in  the  abundance  of  the  things  that  he  possesseth,  but 
in  the  enjoyment  he  has  of  them,  and  it  is  in  this 
sense  that  I  would  Ix?  understood,  when  I  say  that 
we  have  received  the  hundred  fold  promised  in  the 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  115 

Gospel ;  for  we  have  had  infinitely  more  joy  and 
satisfaction  in  having  lost  our  property  for  the  glory 
of  God,  than  they  can  have  had  who  have  taken  pes- 
session  of  it. 

We  had  contrary  winds,  and  were  eleven  days  on 
the  voyage  ;  we  suffered  somewhat  from  a  shortness 
of  provisions,  especially  water,  but  we  dared  not  put 
into  any  French  port  for  a  supply. 

We  landed  on  the  1st.  December,  1G85,  (English  or 
old  style)  at  Applcdore,  a  small  town  in  the  Bristol 
Channel,  below  the  river  Taw  which  goes  up  to  Barn- 
staple.  After  paying  for  our  passage,  I  had  only 
twenty  gold  pistoles  left,  but  God  had  not  conducted 
us  in  safety  to  a  haven  there  to  leave  us  to  perish  with 
hunger  ;  the  good  people  of  Barnstaple  had  compas- 
sion  upon  us,  took  us  into  their  houses,  and  treated  us 
with  the  greatest  kindness  ;  thus  God  raised  up  for  us 
fathers  and  mothers,  and  brothers  and  sisters,  in  a 
strange  land. 

The  first  thing  that  struck  me  on  my  arrival  in  Eng- 
land was  the  extreme  cheapness  of  bread.  What  with 
sea  sickness  and  short  provisions  on  board  ship,  we 
had  suffered  a  good  deal,  and  were  well-inclined  to 
eat  as  soon  as  we  landed.  After  returning  thanks 
to  God  for  our  preservation,  (of  course  our  first  act) 
we  begged  to  have  some  bread,  and  they  brought  us 
very  large  biscuits,  which  in  France  would  have  cost 


116  A    TALE    OP 

two  pence  a  piece,  and  to  my  surprise  I  was  told 
tlieir  price  was  only  a  halfpenny.     I  doubted  the 
fact,    thinking   I    was  misled  by  my  ignorance  of 
the  language,  so  I  gave  a  penny  to  a  little  girl  and 
asked   her   to   buy   me  some  bread,     Siic  went  to 
the  baker's,  and  sure  enough  brouglit  me  back  two  of 
tlie.se  large  biscuits.    It  instantly  occurred  to  me,  that 
if  I  had  only  some  money  at  command  to  lay  out  in 
gi-ain  to  send  to  France,  I  should  rcaUse  a  large  pro. 
fit.     1  knew  that  there  were  some  French  Refugees 
at  Plymouth  who  had  brought  money  with  them,  and 
I  determined  to  borrow  a  horse  and  ride  over  there  to 
suggest  my  plan  to  them.    I  went  round  by  Biddeford 
to  ascertain  at  that  Corn  market  the  price  of  grain  ; 
and  aided  by  an  interpreter,  I  found  that  for  two 
shillings  and  sixpence  or  three  shillings,  I  could  buy 
such  a  sack  as  in  France  would  bring  two  crowns , 
and  I  also  found  on  inquiry  that  there  was  a  draw- 
back allowed  at  the  Custom  House  on  the  exportation 
of  grain.     My  Plymouth  acquaintances  had  already 
made  a  shipment  to  France,  so  I  had  my  trouble  for 
nothing,  and  returned  very  pensively  to  Barnstaple. 
Upon  reflection  I  thought  I  might  as  well  let  mine 
host  Mr.  Downe  have  the  benefit  of  my  knowledge  on 
this  subject.     He  was  very  kind  to  me,  therefore  it 
seemed  a  duty  to  put  him  in  the  way  of  so  advantage- 
ous  a  transaction.  He  entered  into  it  very  readily,  the 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  117 

more  so,  from  having  been  in  trade  in  his  youth  ;  he 
had  been  to  Spain  once  as  supercargo  of  a  vessel, 
therefore  my  project  was  quite  in  his  way.  He 
said  he  would  wilUngly  risk  £300  or  £400,  and  that 
I  should  have  half  the  profit.  I  had  some  hesitation 
about  accepting  his  offer,  because  it  might  turn  out 
loss,  and  not  profit,  and  where  vras  I  to  find  the  means 
of  paying  Lim  my  share  of  the  loss  ;  but  upon  fur- 
ther consideration  I  thought  that  if  I  insured  my 
half,  then  I  could  conscientiously  take  advantage  of 
his  generous  proposal.  I  paid  two  and  a  half  per 
cent  for  insurance  both  ways. 

Our  whole  property  consisted  of  twenty  gold  pis- 
toles, a  silver  watch,  a  gold  chain,  a  pearl  necklace, 
two  diamonds,  an  emerald,  and  half  a  dozen  silver 
spoons ;  and  surely,  to  look  at  it  in  the  most  unfa- 
vourable light,  these  would  be  enough  to  cover  any 
loss  for  which  the  Insurers  were  not  responsible.  In 
this  list  I  name  articles  that  were  the  property  of 
your  mother  as  well  as  my  own,  because  though  we 
were  not  yet  united,  we  had  such  perfect  confidence 
in  each  others'  affection,  that  we  felt  as  though  we 
had  but  one  interest. 

Mr.  Downe  chartered  a  vessel  of  about  50  tons, 
loaded  her  without  delay,  and  consigned  her  to  Mr. 
Boursiquot  (your  uncle,)  and  Peter  Robin,  a  distant 
cousin  of  mine.     You  may  guess  their  astonishment 


118  A    TALE    OF 

at  receiving  such  a  consignment  from  their  relative, 
who  had  left  his  home  so  few  weeks  ago  in  poverty. 
Had  the  vessel  arrived  sooner,  the  adventure  would 
have  been  more  profitable,  for  the  King  had  sent  to 
foreign  countries  for  grain,  and  his  importation  was 
all  to  be  sold  before  the  cargoes  belonging  to  private 
individuals  could  be  opened.  Nevertheless,  Peter 
Robin  sold  it  for  twice  as  much  as  it  cost,  and  laid  out 
the  proceeds  in  the  best  wines  of  Bourdeaux  and 
Langon,  which  also  paid  a  profit. 

Mr.  Downe  prepared  to  make  a  second  shipment, 
and  was  persuaded  by  some  of  his  friends  that  the 
first  cargo  would  have  done  better  if  it  had  been 
consigned  to  a  regular  mcrcliant,  (the  English  seldom 
know  when  they  arc  well  ofl')  and  I  from  foolish  dif- 
fidence did  not  stand  up  for  my  cousin  as  I  ought  to 
have  done  ;  and  the  vessel,  much  to  my  sorrow  and 
our  loss,  was  sent  to  a  merchant  at  Marennes,  who 
understood  merchandise  a  little  too  well  for  us,  for  all 
the  profits  were  swallowed  up  by  his  enormous  char- 
ges  ;  and  instead  of  returning  the  best  Bourdeaux 
wines  as  he  was  desired,  he  shipped  the  *  vin  du  pays' 
which  he  took  in  the  way  of  trade  from  the  peasants, 
and  he  invoiced  it  at  the  price  of  real  good  wine. 

We  made  still  another  adventure,  and  ordered  the 
return  cargo  to  be  of  salt ;  this  was  disastrous  in  the 
extreme.     I  lost  more  than  I  had  gained  and  was 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  H^ 


saddled  with  debt  besides.     I  will  give  the  particu- 
lars.   The  Captain,  after  taking  in  his  cargo,  agreed 
to  bring  away  some  Protestants  who  had  pretended 
to  change  their  religion,  in  order  to  gain  time  to  turn 
their  property  into  cash  to  carry  away  with  them. 
They  unfortunately  placed  their  money  in  the  Cap- 
tain's  hands  for  safe  keeping,  and  he  at  once  began 
to  revolve  in  his  mind  how  he  could  contrive  to  keep 
possession  of  the  treasure.     He  decided  upon  going 
to  Spain  as  the  best  plan,  and  he  let  one  or  two  of 
the  sailors  into  his  confidence.     They  joined  him  in 
representing  to  the  passengers  that  the  wind  was 
contrary,  and  as  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  shelter 
in  a  French  port,  they  had  better  stretch  over  to  the 
Coast  of  Spain.     When  between  Bilboa  and  St.  Se- 
bastian,  the  wind  and  tide  favouring  their  wicked  de- 
signs they  ran  on  the  beach  with  every  sail  set,  and 
the  vessel  was  a  complete  wreck.     Here  was  an  end 
of  my  cargo  of  salt,  it  returned  to  the  sea  from 

whence  it  came. 

The  most  horrible  part  of  the  story  is  yet  to  come, 
the  Captain  and  crew  went  ashore  in  the  boat  with 
the  money,  leaving  the  passengers  to  be  drowned, 
every  wave  going  completely  over  the  wreck ;  one 
of  their  number  a  lady  of  quality,  who  owned  the 
largest  part  of  the  treasure,  wore  a  quilted  petticoat 
which  buoyed  her  up  so  entirely  that  she  might  have 


120  A    TALE    OP 

floated  ashore,  had  not  the  Captain  seen  her  ;  lie  put 
off  in  his  boat  as  though  he  would  have  assisted  her, 
and  when  he  got  within  reach  he  pkinged  her  under 
water  and  held  her  down  for  a  lengtli  ol"  time,  so  that 
the  petticoat,  which  had  in  the  first  instance  resisted 
the  water,  becoming  saturated  prevented  her  rising. 
Auri  sacra  fames  quot  pectora  cogis.  After  bar- 
barously drowning  those  who  had  placed  confidence 
in  him,  he  sold  the  wrock,  went  to  Cadiz  with  his  ill- 
gotten  wealth,  bought  a  share  in  a  Spanish  Privateer, 
and  went  out  in  her  a«?  Captain,  which  is  the  last  I 
ever  heard  of  him. 

My  losses  were  so  heavy  that  I  was  obliged  to  dis- 
pose of  my  watch,  gold  chain,  and  silver  spoons,  and 
still  all  was  not  paid.  These  transactions  occupied 
several  months,  but  as  the  commencement  occurred 
immediately  after  my  arrival,  I  have  thought  it  better 
to  continue  the  account  to  its  winding  up,  so  as  not 
to  break  the  thread  of  the  history. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  121 


CHAPTER  X. 

Singular  proposal  from  a  lady — Marriage — Mode  of  living — 
Remove  to  Bridgwater — Assistance  from  committee — 
Why  discontinued — Application  for  relief — Unkind  treat- 
ment— Receive  Holy  orders — Attempt  to  recover  property 
in  France. 

I  HAVE  already  mentioned  that  I  was  hospitably  re- 
ceived into  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Downe  at  Barnsta- 
ple ;  this  gentleman  was  a  bachelor  of  some  forty 
years  of  age,  and  he  had  an  unmarried  sister  living 
with  him,  who  was  about  thirty  three  or  thirty  four 
years  old.  They  were  kindness  itself,  and  I  was  as 
completely  domesticated  with  them  as  if  I  had  been 
a  brother.  They  were  in  very  easy  circumstances ; 
the  brother  was  worth  £10,000,  the  sister  £3,000. 
This  poor  lady  unfortunately  took  a  great  fancy  to 
me,  and  she  persuaded  herself  that  it  would  be  an  ex- 
cellent thing  for  me  to  marry  her,  and  her  brother  to 
marry  my  intended.  I  should  have  imagined  that 
she  would  have  had  no  ditHculty  in  persuading  her  bro- 
ther to  fall  in  love  ;  for  in  those  days  your  dear  moth- 
er was  very  beautiful,  her  skin  was  delicately  fair, 
she  had  a  brilliant  colat  in  her  cheeks,  high  forehead 


Iii2  A    TALE    OF 

and  a  remarkfibly  intellectual  expression  of  counte- 
nance, her  bust  was  fine,  rather  inclined  toenbonpoint, 
and  she  had  a  very  dignified  carriage  which  some 
thought  haughty,  but  to  me  it  appeared  truly  becom- 
ing in  one  of  her  beauty  ;  altogether  she  seemed  fitted 
to  captivate  the  most  indifferent,  yet,  I  am  very  sure, 
notwitlistanding  all  her  charms  (and  those  of  her  per- 
son were  an  index  of  her  mind)  that  Mr.  Downeonly 
consented  to  court  her  in  order  to  oblige  his  sister. 

Miss  Downe  opened  her  project  to  me  one  day, 
by  observing  that  she  thought  we  must  be  two  fools 
to  think  of  marrying  with  no  better  prospect  than 
beggary  for  our  portion.  I  took  no  notice  of  what 
she  said,  but  she  persevered,  and  frequently  gave  me 
broad  hints  that  I  might  do  much  better  for  myself. 
I  was  determined  not  to  understand  her,  and  our  lan- 
guages being  different  I  was  able  to  appear  ignorant 
of  her  views,  until  one  day  her  brother  happened  to 
enter  tlie  room  when  she  was  making  an  attack  upon 
me,  and  she  requested  him  to  explain  the  matter  to  me. 
Between  Latin,  French  and  English,  he  and  I  could 
make  ourselves  very  intelligible  to  each  other.  His 
sister's  request  evidently  embarassed  him  a  good 
deal,  he  not  being  so  much  smitten  as  she  was,  though 
I  am  sure  he  had  every  reason  to  be  so  ;  however, 
after  a  little  hesitation  he  told  me  that  his  sister  wish- 
ed to  marry  me,  and  that  if  I  agreed  to  it,  lie  would 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  123 

be  willing  to  take  Miss  Boursiquot  for  his  wife.  I 
should  mention  that  Miss  Downe's  personal  appear- 
ance presented  a  strong  contrast  to  that  of  her  ri- 
val, she  was  short,  thin,  sallow  and  marked  with  the 
small-pox.  Mr.  Downe  was  far  from  handsome,  but 
much  better  looking  for  a  man  than  his  sister  for  a 
woman.  By  way  of  reply  to  this  singular  proposi- 
tion I  produced  our  written  promise,  solemnly  signed 
by  both  of  us  ;  but  I  added  that  my  love  was  so  sin- 
cere that  I  could  cheerfully  resign  my  betrothed  to  a 
rich  man,  if  she  thought  it  would  be  for  her  happiness, 
and  that  I  would  engage  to  deliver  the  message  to  her 
with  all  possible  fidelity. 

I  went  that  very  evening  to  Mr.  Fraine's  where 
she  was  staying,  and  executed  the  delicate  commission 
with  which  I  had  been  charged  ;  and  to  tell  the  truth, 
I  was  not  altogether  sorry  that  so  good  an  opportu- 
nity should  offer  itself  of  discovering  whether  her 
love  for  me  was  equal  to  mine  for  her.  As  soon  as 
she  had  heard  what  I  had  to  say,  she  burst  into  tears, 
and  was  evidently  under  the  impression  that  Miss 
Downe's  fortune  had  attracted  me,  and  that  I  was 
anxious  to  break  off  our  engagement.  She  gave  me 
no  answer  but  her  tears,  so  I  repeated  the  message, 
and  assured  her  that  the  gallant  was  as  much  struck 
with  her  as  the  sister  with  me,  and  that  she  would 
have  altogether  the  best  of  the  bargain,  because  Mr. 


124  A    TALE    OF 

Downe's  property  was  more  than  three  tunes  as  large 
as  his  sister's.  Slie  then  made  an  cfTort,  and  an- 
swered that  I  was  free,  she  released  me  absolutely 
and  entirely  from  every  promise  that  I  had  ever  made 
to  her,  and  added  that  she  was  fully  sensible  that  she 
was  under  sufficient  obligation  to  me  already  for 
saving  her  from  persecution,  without  condemning  me 
to  perpetual  poverty  l)y  holding  me  to  our  contract ; 
and  as  to  the  future,  she  was  contented  to  remain  as 
she  was,  and  wished  to  hear  notliing  more  from  Mr. 
Downe. 

I  was  completely  overpowered  by  this,  and  my 
tears  flowed  as  fast  as  hers.  I  then,  with  the  utmost 
solemnity,  asked  her  if  she  thought  she  could  he  con- 
tented to  join  me  in  working  for  our  Uving,  and  for 
the  support  of  those  whom  God  might  give  us  ;  and 
I  called  upon  her  to  remember  that  poverty  was  a 
hard  mistress,  and  that  we  should  probably  have  to 
suflcr  under  it  all  our  days;  nevertheless  if  she  was 
willing  to  run  the  risk,  I  should  be  infinitely  happier 
working  with  my  hands  for  daily  bread  with  her, 
than  living  in  wealth  with  any  other  woman  on  the 
face  of  the  earth.  She  answered  that  every  thing  I 
said  found  an  echo  in  her  heart. 
;  This  circumstance  occasioned  our  marrying  much 
sooner  than  we  otherwise  should  have  done,  for  we 
were  determined  not  to  be  annoyed  by  any  more  such 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  125 

proposals,  but  to  tye  the  knot  at  once,  as  we  both  so 
ardently  desired  it. 

I  returned  to  my  Host  and  Hostess,  and  gave  them 
such  an  answer  as  might  be  expected  from  a  person 
deeply  in  love  ;  and  I  endeavoured  to  make  them  un- 
derstand  that  an  affection  of  such  long  standing,  and 
cemented  by  so  much  joint  suffering  and  anxiety  as 
ours,  could  not  be  easily  shaken.  Our  mutual  pro- 
mise  was  to  be  binding  to  death  under  all  circum-  ' 
stances  except  apostacy,  and  of  that,  thanks  be  to 
God^  there  was  no  lono^er  any  dano-er. 

Mr.  Downe  was  a  sensible  man,  and  I  verily  be- 
lievehe  was  on  the  whole  relieved  by  the  issue  of  the 
negociation,  not  so  the  lady,  she  felt  aggrieved,  and 
was  not  able  to  conceal  her  discomfiture. 

We  were  married  on  the  8th.  Febr.  1686.  at  the 
Parish  Church  of  Barnstaple.  Mr.  Fraine,  at  whose 
house  my  wife  had  lived  from  the  day  after  our 
landing,  prepared  an  excellent  banquet  and  invited 
almost  all  the  French  Refugees  in  the  neighbourhood 
to  partake  with  us  on  our  wedding  day  ;  and  my 
friend  Mr.  Downe  entertained  us  all  in  the  same  style 
on  the  following  day. 

Our  funds  were  very  low,  for  I  had  paid  £5  for 
insurance,  and  £S  for  the  wedding  ring  and  license, 
80  that  we  could  scarcely  be  much  poorer  than  we 
were;    and  you  may  judge  of  the  strength  of  our 

II* 


126  A    TALE    OF 

attachment  by  our  refusal  of  the  fortunes  otTered  to 
us  ;  and  you  may  also  see  what  strong  confidence  we 
placed  in  the  good  Providence  of  God,  and  blessed  be 
his  name  !  we  have  never  had  reason  to  repent  of  the 
stop.  We  lived  for  the  first  month  or  two  in  a  fur- 
nished room  ;  then  my  valet  Manseau  contrived  to 
send  me  from  France  a  featherbed  and  several  cover- 
lids, and  my  sister  Forestier  made  us  a  present  of 
some  linen,  and  upon  this  addition  to  our  possessions 
we  ventured  to  hire  a  small  house  in  a  back  street. 
The  inhabitants  of  the  town  were  generous  in  the 
extreme,  they  sent  us  all  things  essential  for  a  small 
family,  so  that  our  house  was  furnished  without  cost- 
ing  us  a  farthing,  and  their  liberality  did  not  stop 
here ;  every  market  day  meat,  poultry,  and  grain 
came  in  abundance  without  our  knowing  to  whom 
we  were  obliged,  and  during  the  six  or  eight  months 
that  we  lived  there,  I  only  bought  one  bushel  of  wheat, 
and  had  two  left  when  we  removed. 

Our  20od  cheer  costing  us  little  or  nothing,  we 
gladly  ministered  to  the  necessities  of  those  French 
Refugees  who  did  not  experience  the  same  kindness. 
Many  also  who  disliked  English  cookery  were  glad 
to  partake  of  my  soup  and  bread,  tiiey  would  first 
assist  in  cookinrj  and  then  in  eating  the  food.  This 
mode  of  living  might  be  very  agreeable  to  some  per- 
sons, but  it  did  not  suit  my  wife  or  me  ;  every  gift 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  127 

made  us  feel  our  painful  dependence,  and  we  looked 
around  us  eagerly  hoping  to  see  some  plan  by  which 
we  could  live  without  charity. 

I  availed  myself  of  the  first  opportunity  that  offer- 
ed, and  accepted  a  situation  in  tlie  family  of  Sir 
Halseweli  Tynte,  who  lived  two  miles  from  Bridge- 
water.  I  was  to  receive  £20  per  annum,  and  I 
thought  this  would  maintain  my  wife,  as  I  was  to  eat 
at  Sir  Halsewell's  table.  When  I  had  been  with  him 
four  months,  I  hired  a  small  house  in  Bridgewater  to 
bring  my  family  nearer  to  me,  and  I  went  to  fetch 
them.  Our  numbers  were  now  increased  by  the  birth 
of  James  our  first-born,  which  had  taken  place  during 
my  absence.  The  restraints  imposed  upon  me  were 
so  irksome,  and  your  dear  mother  as  well  as  myself 
suffered  so  much  from  our  separation,  that  I  deter- 
mined to  give  up  my  employment  and  return  to  my 
wife ;  preferring  the  coarsest  fare  with  her  for  my 
companion  to  the  continual  feasts  at  Sir  Halseweli 
Tynte's. 

Exertion  of  some  kind  for  a  livelihood  was  abso- 
lutely  necessary  ;  we  tried  a  little  shop  in  Bridge- 
water,  but  our  efforts  were  not  crowned  with  success  ; 
the  expenses  we  incurred  were  greater  than  any  pro- 
fit that  we  were  able  to  realise. 

You  may  be  surprised  that  in  my  difficulties  I  re- 
ceived no   assistance   from  the  fund  collected   for 


128  A   TALE    OF 

distribution  anionor  the  sufferinf]r  French  Rcfufxces  : 
80  I  will  tell  you  the  reason  of  it,  tracing  it  from  the 
very  commencement.  As  soon  as  my  friends  in 
London  were  apprised  of  my  arrival,  they  brought 
my  case  (unknown  to  me)  before  the  Committee,  and 
Mr.  Maureau,  my  advocate  at  Saintes,  drew  such  a 
picture  of  my  zeal  and  constancy  that  there  was  no 
opposition  made  to  placing  my  name  in  the  list  of 
Ministers,  although  only  a  Candidate,  and  I  was  to 
receive  £30  per  annum.  The  first  I  knew  of  it  was 
the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Maureau,  congratu- 
lating me  on  my  escape,  and  enclosing  £7,  105.  as 
the  first  quarter  of  a  pension  that  the  Committee  had 
granted  me  ;  and  he  added,  that  before  I  could  re- 
ceive the  second  quarter,  it  was  necessary  that  I 
should  commune  according  to  the  rites  of  the  Church 
of  England,  and  send  a  certificate  thereof  to  the 
Committee. 

I  who  had  but  just  escaped  from  the  Tempter,  felt 
alarmed  at  this  mode  of  entitling  myself  to  receive 
charity.  I  had  previously  communed  very  cordially 
with  the  English  after  the  manner  of  the  Established 
Church,  without  the  least  scruple  of  conscience,  but 
when  it  became  the  condition  on  which  I  was  to  re- 
ceive the  charities  of  the  Kingdom,  the  case  was  al- 
tered ;  I  who  looked  upon  the  Communion  as  one  of 
the  most  sacred  mysteries  of  our  holy  religion,  which 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  129 

it  was  not  lawful  to  approach  with  any  other  view 
than  to  receive  thereby  the  benefits  of  the  sacrifice  of 
the  death  of  Christ,  seeing  that  it  was  imposed  upon 
me  for  pecuniary  purposes,  doubted  very  much  whe- 
ther any  spiritual  benefit  could  be  derived  from  a 
Communion  received  for  the  express  purpose  of  pro- 
curing a  pension.  It  seemed  to  me  a  very  Papistical 
proceeding,  much  like  what  I  had  seen  in  France, — 
"  Come  to  Mass  and  you  shall  be  exempted  from 
Dragoons.-"  I  had  hitherto  found  nothing  offensive 
in  the  Church  of  England,  I  then  studied  it  very 
carefully,  and  all  its  doctrines  as  set  forth  in  tjie  ar- 
ticles I  heartily  embraced,  but  its  Church  Govern- 
ment,  especially  the  point  so  much  insisted  upon  of 
Episcopacy  by  divine  right,  seemed  to  me  to  have 
too  strong  a  resemblance  to  Popery. 

I  might  have  gotten  over  these  objections,  perhaps 
if  I  had  not  learnt  their  cruel  persecution  of  their 
brother  Calvinists,  only  for  differing  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  Episcopacy,*  and  some  ceremonies  which 
were  in  themselves  of  no  great  importance.  I  found 
that  the  poor  Presbyterian  Ministers  had  been  im- 

*  It  is  not  surprising  that  a  foreigner  should  confound  the 
conscientious  members  of  the  Church  of  England  with  the 
disguised  Papists  who  were  so  numerous  in  the  days  of  Charles 
II.  and  James  n.,  by  whom  the  Calvinists  were  persecuted. 


130  A    TALE    OF  ^ 

prisoned,  fined,  and  deprived  of  their  employments, 
because  they  "would  not  consent  to  receive  Episco- 
pal ordination,  in  conformity  with  the  laws  passed  in 
the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  and  furthermore,  I  was  told 
by  the  Presbyterians  that  the  untbrtunale  people  who 
had  been  executed  after  Monmouth's  rebellion,  a 
few  days  before  our  arrival,  and  whose  heads  and 
quarters  I  saw  exposed  on  all  the  towers,  gates,  and 
cross  roads,  looking  absolutely  like  butcher's  sham, 
bles,  had  many  of  them  no  other  crime  than  that  of 
being  Presbyterians.*  I  confess  that  all  these  cir- 
cumstances combined,  gave  me  a  prejudice  against 
the  Established  Church,  and  the  use  which  it  was 
proposed  to  me  to  make  of  the  Holy  Sacrament  went 
so  much  against  my  conscience,  that  I  have  never 
yet  sent  the  necessary  certificate  to  receive  the  se- 
cond quarter  of  my  pension. 

I  have  another  serious  fault  to  find  with  the  dis- 
tributing  Committee.  The  fund  placed  at  their  dis- 
posal arose  from  the  voluntrary  contributions  of  the 
whole  Enjilish  nation,  and  I  believe  the  Nonconfor- 
ists  had  been  as  liberal  as  the  Episcopalians,  and 
yet  no  one  was  relieved  who  did  not  hand  in  a  certi- 

*  This  has  evidently  been  a  party  statement,  and  according 
to  history  must  have  been  untrue,  for  Monmouth's  rebellion 
was  an  effort  to  subvert  the  government,  and  had  no  religious 
object. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  131 

ficate  of  his  being  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land, and  surely  this  was  unjust. 

At  one  time,  ground  down  by  poverty,  my  spirit 
was  so  humbled  that  I  went  to  London  to  make  a  per- 
sonal application  to  the  Committee,  and  my  friends 
advised  me  to  call  upon  certain  Deans  and  other  high 
dignitaries  who  were  the  most  influential  members  of 
the  Committee.  My  garments  were  old  and  shabby, 
and  I  found  it  difficult  to  gain  an  entrance  to  any 
of  the  great  houses.  The  footman  would  leave  me 
waiting  a  long  time  in  the  entry  like  a  common  beg- 
gar, and  at  last  return  to  inform  me  that  his  Rever- 
ence was  not  then  at  leisure  to  see  me.  I  would  call 
again  and  again,  till  weary  of  opening  the  door,  the 
servant,  to  avoid  further  importunity,  would  obtain 
for  me  the  desired  audience,  and  accompanying  me 
through  divers  richly  furnished  apartments,  watch- 
ing carefully  lest  I  should  steal  some  of  the  plate  that 
was  piled  up  on  the  sideboards,  introduce  me  to  the 
apartment  where  the  Dean  was  sitting.  He  enquired 
what  I  wanted  with  him,  not  even  asking  the  poor 
beggar  to  take  a  seat. 

In  as  few  words  as  possible  I  told  him  my  situation 
and  sufferings,  and  was  opening  my  papers,  but  he 
refused  to  read  any  testimonials ;  saying,  the  subject 
would  come  before  the  Committee. 


132  A    TALE    OF 

The  necessities  of  those  wlio  were  dearer  to  me 
than  Ufe  so  lowered  my  pride,  that  I  made  a  round  of 
such  visits  as  these,  but  it  was  all  in  vain,  the  money 
was  for  Episcopalians  only. 

Mr.  Maurcau,  who  held  the  oflice  of  secretary  to 
the  Committee,  took  up  my  cause  very  warmly. 
"  You  will  not,"  said  he,  "  suffer  so  worthy  a  man  to 
be  reduced  to  extremity  with  his  wife  and  two  chil- 
dren, a  man  who  has  shown  that  he  counted  his  life 
as  nothing  when  the  glory  of  God  was  in  question, 
and  who  generously  and  voluntarily  exposed  himself 
to  uphold  the  faith  of  a  number  of  poor  country  peo- 
pie.  Perhaps  there  are  not  four  ^Ministers  who  have 
received  the  charity  of  the  Committee  Avho  have  done 
so  much  for  the  cause  of  true  religion  as  he  has." 

All  this  was  to  no  purpose  so  long  as  I  was  a  Pres- 
byterian. "  He  is  a  young  man,"  said  they,  "  let 
him  get  a  situation  as  a  servant,  his  wife  can  do  the 
same,  and  we  will  take  care  of  his  children  in  the 
house  we  have  hired  for  the  purpose." 

I  was  directed  to  go  to  the  grand  Almoner  to  re- 
ceive an  answer,  and  when  he  gave  me  the  above, 
my  eyes  filled  with  tears,  I  felt  indignant,  and  an- 
swered hastily  that  he  ought  to  have  put  himself  in 
my  situation,  according  to  the  commandment  in  the 
New  Testament,  before  he  undertook  to  give  me  such 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  133 

cruel  advice.  His  wife  happened  to  be  present,  and 
turning  to  her,  I  said,  "  Madam,  I  sincerely  pity  you 
to  be  united  to  a  man  who  can  speak  with  so  much 
indifference  of  separating  husband  and  wife,"  and 
(knowing  they  had  no  family)  I  added  that  I  adored 
the  wisdom  of  God  who  had  not  thought  fit  to  give 
him  children,  seeing  he  felt  it  so  easy  a  matter  to  part 
with  them  ;  but  before  I  would  place  mine  under  his 
guardian-ship,  and  give  up  the  spouse  whom  I  regard- 
ed as  one  of  the  choicest  blessings  God  had  bestowed 
upon  me,  I  would  dig  the  ground  all  day  as  a  common 
labourer,  in  order  to  share  with  tliem  at  night  the 
bread  that  I  had  earned  by  the  sweat  of  my  brow.  I 
had  £3  given  to  me,  which  I  was  told  was  the  last 
I  could  expect  to  receive,  and  I  returned  home  sadly 
cast  down,  having  spent  from  £7  to  £8  upon  the 
necessary  expenses  of  travelling  and  making  this 
fruitless  application. 

Some  charitable  Presbyterians,  hearing  of  my  dis- 
tress, made  a  collection  for  me  in  their  conffresation 
which  was  a  great  help.  You  may  be  sure  my  feel- 
ings were  still  more  soured  towards  Episcopalians, 
and  I  felt  convinced  by  bitter  experience  that  opposi- 
tion and  ill  treatment,  for  difference  of  opinion,  have 
a  much  greater  tendency  to  widen  the  breach  than  to 
bring  our  opponents  over  to  our  way  of  thinking, 

12 


134  A    TALE    OF 

I  had  always  been  in  the  habit  of  family  worship, 
and  when  we  removed  to  Taunton  three  or  four 
French  tamilics  wished  to  join  us,  so  I  thought  I 
ought  to  receive  authority  according  to  the  ordin- 
ances  of  man,  and  I  presented  myself  to  tlie  Presby- 
terian  Synod  assembled  at  Taunton,  exhibiting  tes- 
timonials which  I  had  brought  from  France  of  my 
manner  of  life,  education  and  sufferings,  and  after 
examination,  I  received  Holy  Orders  from  that  body 
on  the  lOlh  of  June,  1688.  I  was  determined  rather 
to  labour  witli  my  hands  and  preach  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  in  simplicity  and  purity,  than  to  wound  my 
conscience  by  joining  the  Episcopalians. 

I  found  by  accident,  among  my  papers  brought 
from  France,  half  a  sheet  of  stamped  paper,  entirely 
blank  ;  and  it  occurred  to  me,  that  it  might  be  the 
means  of  recovering  some  of  the  property  I  had  left 
in  France ;  and  as  Peter  Robin  had  been  faithful  to 
me  in  his  management  of  the  consignment  of  wheat, 
he  was  the  person  I  looked  to  as  an  agent.  I  signed 
my  name  at  the  foot  of  the  sheet,  and  sent  it  to  him, 
telling  him  to  make  use  of  it  for  my  benefit,  filling  up 
the  blank  with  a  sale  or  lease  of  my  estate  to  some 
one,  and  to  antedate  it  so  as  to  appear  to  have  been 
executed  previously  to  my  leaving  France.  The  lat 
ter  precaution  was  necessary  to  prevent  the  King 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  135 

seizing  upon  it.  I  received  no  answer,  but  from 
other  sources  I  have  heard  that  the  said  Robin  has 
lived  upon  my  estate  from  that  time,  and  considered 
it  as  his  own  ;  he  took  advantage  of  the  too  great 
confidence  I  had  placed  in  him  by  sending  my  blank 
signature,  and  he  has  cheated  me  and  my  heirs  after 
me  ;  because  he  can  produce  the  deed  of  sale  signed 
by  my  own  hand. 

I  would  have  you  observe  that  I  was  miserable 
enough  to  request  him  to  execute  a  false  deed  for  me, 
in  order  that  I  might  obtain  something  from  the  pro- 
perty I  had  left  in  France.  He  did  execute  the  false 
deed  as  I  desired,  but  it  was  for  his  own  benefit,  not 
mine.  I  recognise  in  this  as  in  every  thing  else  the 
justice  of  the  just  Judge  of  the  Universe.  I  was 
punished  as  I  deserved  to  be.  At  the  same  time,  as 
God  directs  all  things  for  the  good  of  those  who  love 
him  and  serve  him  with  faith  and  humility  of  heart, 
I  think  I  can  perceive  that  he  has  extracted  from  my 
sin  a  great  advantage  to  my  family.  It  puts  it  out 
of  the  question  for  any  of  my  descendants  to  return 
to  the  Babylon  whence  he  has  withdrawn  me,  in  the 
hope  of  enjoying  a  fine  estate,  as  many  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Huguenot  Refugees  have  done.  This  pro- 
perty is  irrecoverably  lost.  It  is  very  desirable  that 
we  should  not  be  exposed  to  temptation,  but  at  the 


136  A    TALE    OP 

same  time,  I  will  sav  that  I  feel  a  stronjf  confidence 
that  none  of  you  would  liave  been  seduced  into  return- 
ing to  idolatry  for  the  sake  of  money,  and  I  trust  you 
will  so  instruct  your  children  after  you,  that  the  love 
of  God,  and  his  true  religion,  may  be  perpetuated  in 
our  family  to  the  remotest  generation. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  187 


CHAPTER.  XI. 

Remove  to  Taunton — Keep  a  shop — Manufactory — Very  pros- 
perous—Summoned before  the  Mayor— Defence—Recorder's 
speech — Discharge. 

I  removed  to  Taunton  for  the  purpose  of  teaching 
the  French  language,  finding  that  I  could  obtain 
some  pupils  there.  Our  plan  was  to  keep  a  shop  also, 
and  we  were  in  great  hopes  that  with  both  together 
we  should  be  able  to  pay  our  way. 

I  borrowed  £100  from  a  friend.  I  found  the 
wholesale  dealers  in  Bristol  and  Exeter  very  accom- 
modating in  the  credits  they  granted  me.  As  fast  as 
I  sold  the  goods  I  paid  for  them,  and  I  was  then  al- 
lowed to  take  a  fresh  supply  on  credit ;  and  in  this 
way  we  gradually  increased  in  our  dealings  until  we 
had  a  stock  of  one  thing  or  other  to  the  amount  of 
£400. 

About  this  time  two  Frenchmen  called  upon  ms 

whom  I  had  known  in  great  distress  in  Bridgewater, 

and  I  had  there  solicited   charity  for  them,  at  the 

same  time  advising  them  to  learn  a  trade  so  as  to 

rr.ake  themselves  independent  for  the  future ;  and  I 

12* 


138  A    TALE    OF 

had  suggested  their  binding  tlicmselves  to  some  of  the 
French  manufacturers  of  liglit  stuffs  in  Bristol,  and 
assured  them  they  would  have  to  ask  charity  no 
more.  They  had  taken  my  advice,  and  at  the  end  of 
Iwo  years  they  visited  me  expressly  to  return  their 
thanks.  I  did  not  recognise  them  ;  the  rags  and  tat- 
ters in  which  they  had  formerly  appeared  had  given 
place  to  decent  and  respectable  clothing.  They  told 
me  they  were  the  persons  wliom  I  had  recommended 
to  learn  a  trade,  that  thcj'  had  done  so,  and  now  all 
they  wanted  was  a  small  advance  from  somebody, 
and  thoy  would  work  for  half  the  profits.  They 
urged  me  to  undertake  it,  and  they  said  £20  would 
sufBce  to  buy  worsted,  yarn  and  dyes,  and  that  they 
themselves  had  wherewithal  to  buy  tools,  and  that  if 
I  would  make  the  advance  for  them,  they  would  work 
two  years  for  me,  and  be  contented  with  half  the  pro- 
fit  on  the  work.  I  consented  to  it,  and  as  I  did  not 
wish  to  cramp  the  business  of  the  shop,  I  borrowed 
the  £20  from  a  widow  ladv  at  Bridgewater. 

Behold  me  now  not  only  a  teacher  of  languages, 
and  a  shopkeeper,  but  a  manufacturer  also. 

One  of  these  Frenchmen  had  formerl)'^  been  a  pick- 
pocket in  London,  and  had  quitted  the  employment 
solely  from  apprehension  of  punishment ;  he  was  a 
very  skilful  workman,  he  would  accomplish  more  in 
a  given  time  than  two  others  and  it  would  also  be 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  139 

better  finished.  He  was  the  chief  manager,  and  used 
to  go  to  Exeter  to  purchase  the  worsteds,  and  he 
made  excellent  bargains.  I  trusted  him  frequently 
with  £20  and  £25  at  a  time  for  this  purpose,  and  he 
was  uniformly  corn^ct  in  all  his  dealings  with  me. 
He  once  told  one  of  his  fellow  workmen,  that  lie  had 
been  often  strongly  tempted  to  run  away  with  the 
money,  and  then  he  would  say  to  himself.  "  What ! 
steal  from  a  man  who  has  been  so  invariably  kind 
to  me,  and  who  places  so  much  confidence  in  me ! 
No,  I  cannot  do  it."  When  he  left  me,  I  under- 
stood he  returned  to  London,  and  fell  into  bad  habits 
again. 

At  the  end  of  three  months,  I  knew  much  more 
than  the  workmen  did.  I  invented  new  patterns, 
an  ."ught  them  how  to  execute  them.  When  the 
first  var  was  ended,  we  had  gained  something  ;  but 
instead  of  £20,  I  had  fully  £80,  employed  in  the 
manufactory.  In  dividing  the  profits,  the  workmen 
quarrelled  so  much  amongst  themselves,  that  they 
proposed  of  their  own  accord,  that  I  should  pay  them 
regular  wages,  and  carry  on  the  business  altogether 
on  my  own  account. 

Every  thing  now  seem.ed  to  prosper  with  me.  I 
hired  the  handsomest  shop  in  Taunton,  opposite  the 
cross  in  the  Market  place,  and  I  was  able  to  famish 
it  with  so  great  a  variety,  that  it  was  always  filled 


140  A    TALE    OF 

with  customers ;  and  my  wife  with  two  boy^  to  as- 
sist  her,  found  ample  employment.  I  manufactured 
stuffs  in  the  upper  part  of  the  house  which  were  sold 
below  at  a  profit.  1  went  once  a  quarter  to  Bristol 
and  Exeter  to  purciiase  groceries,  and  pay  off  the 
old  debt.  I  determined  to  sell  Malaga  and  Ahcant 
raisins  at  the  same  price  retail  that  I  bought  them 
wholesale,  and  I  did  the  same  with  needles.  Every 
body  knew  the  value  of  these  articles,  and  the  sale 
of  them  did  not  altogether  amount  to  any  great  sum. 
One  said  to  another,  you  will  find  beautiful  raisins 
at  the  Frenchman's  for  such  a  price  ;  so  they  came 
to  see  if  it  was  true,  and  probably  bought  ten  or 
twelve  shillings  worth  of  other  articles,  as  well  as  the 
cheap  raisins,  and  thus  we  found  our  account  ir  *t. 

Tlic  other  shopkeepers  said  I  should  be  a  I  -ink- 
rupt  in  a  very  short  time,  for  I  sold  the  raisin^  at 
the  same  price  they  paid  in  Bristol,  without  reck- 
oning  the  expense  of  carriage,  loss  of  weight,  &c. 
This  sort  of  talk  only  increased  our  business,  for  the 
people  thought  tiiey  would  buy  whatever  they  want- 
ed before  I  was  ruined.  When  any  of  my  friends 
asked  me  privately  why  I  sold  so  cheap,  I  told  them 
that  I  found  it  to  answer,  and  repeated  the  common 
proverb,  "  Light  gains  make  a  heavy  purse." 

I  procured  from  the  French  manufacturers  in 
Holland,  linens,  galloons,  thread,  needles,  and  tin  and 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  141 

copper  ware,  all  which,  cost  me  much  less  than  if  I 
had  bought  them  in  England.  Beaver  hats  were 
made  by  only  two  persons  in  Exeter,  they  were  both 
French  Refugees,  and  supplied  no  one  but  myself  in 
our  town,  and  again,  I  had  the  best  of  French  brandy, 
pure  and  unadulterated,  whereas  the  English  general. 
ly  played  tricks  with  theirs.  In  short,  stranger  as 
I  was,  I  had  more  custom  than  any  other  shop  in  the 
town. 

For  some  time  my  competitors  had  patience,  in  the 
hope  each  day  that  the  next  would  see  me  put  the 
key  under  the  door  ;  instead  of  that,  I  was  more  and 
more  prosperous. 

I  had  just  begun  to  breathe  freely,  and  feel  comfor- 
table, when  they  commenced  a  prosecution,  and  sum- 
moned me  to  appear  before  the  Mayor  and  Court  of 
Aldermen. 

The  Mayor  was  a  wool-comber,  who  came  origin- 
ally  to  the  town  with  a  single  groat.  He  worked  a 
long  time  as  a  boy  comber,  then  he  married  his  mas- 
ter's servant,  scraped  together  a  little  money,  and 
began  business  on  his  own  account  ;  and  at  the  age 
of  thirty  six  or  thirty  seven  years,  he  learnt  to  read 
and  write  a  little.  At  length  having  acquired  £7,000 
or  £8,000,  he  had  thereby  obtained  honors,  and  this 
was  the  third  time  he  had  filled  the  office  of  Mayor. 

The  Aldermen  had  generally  received  similar  edu« 


142  A    TALE    OF 

cation  ;  some  were  workmen  in  wool,  others  shop- 
keepers, and  as  I  employed  people  in  my  little  wool- 
len manufactory,  and  sold  almost  every  thing  that  any 
of  them  did,  I  certainly  had  interfered  more  or  less 
with  the  trade  of  all,  and  could  not  look  for  any  fa- 
vorable judgment  from  such  judges. 

Only  one  man  in  all  this  body  had  received  a  good 
education,  and  he  was  the  Recorder,  and  could  gov- 
ern this  cohort  at  his  will.  I  had  frequently  been  in 
his  company,  and  we  had  had  very  interesting  con- 
versations on  philosophical  and  theological  subjects, 
and  I  had  reason  to  believe  that  he  esteemed  me. 

Wlien  I  appeared,  they  ac^^.  .ed  me  of  various  mis- 
demeanours. I  was  a  sharper,  a  Jack  of  all  trades, 
against  whom  there  was  universal  complaint.  I  had 
the  wool  combed.  I  dyed  it  myself,  I  had  it  spun 
and  woven,  I  then  retailed  it  in  my  shop.  I  sold  all 
sorts  of  things  except  apothecaries  drugs.  The 
grocers  complained  that  I  sold  a  better  article  retail, 
than  they  could  buy  wholesale.  The  dealers  in  tin 
and  copper  were  ready  to  shut  up  shop,  and  go  to  the 
Parish  if  I  did  not  close  mine.  Those  who  dealt  in 
brandy  and  vinegar  sat  all  day  with  their  arms  cross- 
ed, while  we  could  scarcely  measure  fast  enough. 
The  hatters  could  sell  no  more,  since  I  sold  the  Caro- 
Une  and  French  beaver  hats.  Stockings  of  St. 
Maixant  destroyed  the  hosiers.     The  drapers  were 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  143 

idle  all  the  time  since  I  had  introduced  chamois  leath- 
er dyed  of  all  colors,  a  pair  of  breeches  of  which  lasted 
as  long  as  three  pair  made  of  cloth  and  looked  better. 
In  short,  they  were  obliged  to  pay  government  taxes 
and  town  rates,  to  which  the  stranger  was  not  subject- 
ed and  yet  he  pocketed  all  the  profits ;  besides,  he  was 
a  Jesuit  in  disguise,  who  said  mass  in  his  own  house 
every  Sunday ;  as  well  in  one  word,  as  a  thousand, 
he  is  a  French  dog  who  takes  the  bread  out  of  the 
mouths  of  the  English.  To  hear  them  you  would 
have  supposed  I  was  as  rich  as  a  Jew. 

I  attended  without  an  attorney  to  reply  in  person 
to  these  enormous  accusations,  and  felt  no  alarm  as 
to  the  result. 

Mr.  Mayor  came  to  the  point  at  once,  and  asked 
if  I  had  served  an  apprenticeship  to  all  these  trades. 

This  question  was  quite  to  the  purpose,  for  by  law 
no  man  can  carry  on  a  trade  to  which  he  has  not 
served  an  apprenticeship. 

I  rose  without  any  embarrassment,  and  answered 
in  a  tone  loud  enough  to  be  heard  all  through  the 
Court.  "  Gentlemen,  in  France  a  man  is  esteemed 
according  to  his  qualifications,  and  men  of  letters 
and  study  especially,  if  they  conduct  themselves 
with  propriety,  are  honored  by  every  body,  even 
though  they  should  not  be  worth  a  penny.  All  the 
nobility,  the  lords,  marquises  and  dukes,  take  great 


144  h   TALE    OF 

pleasure  in  the  society  of  such  persons.  In  fact, 
there,  a  man  is  thought  fit  for  any  honorable  employ. 
meni  if  lie  be  but  learned.  Therefore,  my  father, 
who  was  a  worthy  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  brought  up 
four  boys,  of  wliom  I  was  the  youngest,  in  good  man- 
ners and  tlio  liberal  arts,  hoping  that  wherever  for- 
tune might  transport  us,  our  education  would  serve 
instead  of  riches,  and  gain  us  honor  from  persons  of 
honor.  All  tiie  apprenticeship  I  have  ever  served 
from  the  age  of  four  years  has  been  to  turn  the  leaves 
of  a  book.  At  twenty  two  years  old,  I  took  my  de- 
gree  as  IMaster  of  Arts,  and  since  that  time  I  have 
devoted  myself  to  the  study  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. 

"  Hitherto  I  had  been  thought  worthy  of  the  best 
company  wlicrever  I  had  been  ;  but  when  I  came  to 
this  town,  I  found  that  science  without  riches  was 
regarded  as  a  cloud  without  water,  or  a  tree  without 
fruit,  in  one  word,  a  thing  worthy  of  supreme  con- 
tempt ;  so  much  so,  that  if  a  poor  ignorant  wool-com- 
ber or  hawker,  were  to  amass  money,  he  would  be 
honored  by  every  body,  and  be  looked  upon  as  the  first 
man  in  the  town.  I  have  therefore,  Gentlemen,  re- 
nounced  all  speculative  science,  and  have  become  a 
wool-comber,  and  a  dealer  in  pins  and  laces,  hoping 
that  I  may  one  day  attain  wealth,  and  be  also  one  of 
the  first  men  in  the  town." 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  145 

At  this  there  was  a  general  laugh  throughout  the 
assembly,  with  the  exception  of  the  Mayor  and  some 
of  the  Aldermen. 

The  Recorder  himself  lost  his  gravity  for  a  few  mo. 
ments,  and  joined  in  the  mirth.  Then  rising,  he  re- 
minded  me  of  the  Town-Clerk  of  Ephesus,  for  there 
was  a  profound  silence  as  soon  as  he  stretched  out 
his  hand. 

"  Gentlemen,"said  he, "  King  Charles  II.  of  blessed 
memory,  issued  a  declaration  of  such  a  date,  where- 
by he  invited  the  poor  Protestants,  persecuted  in 
France  for  the  cause  of  the  Gospel,  to  take  refuge  in 
his  kingdom,  not  most  assuredly,  to  let  them  die  of 
hunger,  but  rather  that  they  might  live  amongst  his 
subjects  ;  thus,  you  see  that  they  are  entitled  to  every 
privilege  that  we  enjoy.  Suppose  that  Mr.  Fontaine 
and  his  family  had  no  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood 
and  they  were  famishing  in  the  midst  of  us,  we  must 
feed  them.  By  law,  the  Parish  would  be  charged 
with  them,  for  you  could  not  send  him  to  his  birth- 
place, therefore  you  must  consider  him  as  born  in 
the  place  where  he  resides.  And  if  Mr.  Fontaine, 
although  he  was  brought  up  to  nothing  but  study, 
yet  in  the  desire  he  had  to  live  independently  with- 
out being  burdensome  to  you,  humbled  himself  so  low 
as  to  become  a  mechanic,  a  thing  very  rarely  seen 
among  learned  men  (as  I  know  him  to  be  by  the  con- 

13 


146  A    TALE    OF 

versations  I  liave  had  with  him,)  do  not  you  think 
the  Parish  is  obhgcd  to  him  for  every  morsel  of  bread 
he  earns  for  his  family  ?  To  pretend  to  prevent  his 
gaining  a  livelihood  would  be  as  cruel  as  to  murder 
hiin  and  his  babes,  unless,  you  his  accusers  intend  to 
raise  a  fund  to  settle  an  annuity  upon  him  and  his 
family  for  life.  Strangers  are  entitled  to  justice  as 
much  as  our  neighbours  are  When  he  has  an  in- 
come  secured  to  him,  I  will  answer  for  him,  that  he 
will  leave  mechanical  occupations,  and  gladly  resume 
his  intellectual  labors." 

He  paused  a  while  ;  no  one  breaking  the  silence, 
he  i-esumed ; — "It  is  a  strange  thing.  Gentlemen,  none 
of  you  olTcr  to  give  him  bread,  and  yet  you  are  not 
willing  to  let  him  earn  it  for  himself.  Shall  it  be 
said  that  there  are  but  one  or  two  families  of  poor 
Refujiees  settled  in  this  town,  who  have  abandoned 
country,  friends,  property,  and  every  thing  sweet  and 
agreeable  in  this  life  for  their  religion,  and  the  glory 
of  the  GosjDel,  and  instead  of  cherishing  these  peo- 
ple, and  treating  them  as  the  suffering  members  o^ 
our  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and  providing  for  them 
tenderly  and  abundantly  by  our  charities  we  would 
even  hinder  them  from  gaining  a  living  by  their 
labor  ?  There  is  not  a  Turk  in  Turkey  so  barba- 
rous." 

Then  turning  round,  he  addressed  himself  to  mo. 


TETE    HUGUBNOTS.  117 

**  Go:  there  is  no  law  that  can  disturb  you,  I  will  an- 
swer for  it.     We  return  you  thanks  for  the  bread 
you  earn.     God  bless  you  and  your  labor  !" 
I  answered,  "  May  the  Lord  bless  you  also  !" 
The  Court  resounded  with  thousands  "  God  bles» 
you  Mr.  Fontaine !" 

Here  was  an  end  of  the  law  proceedings,  but  not 
of  the  malice,  for  the  Mayor  and  his  party  hated  me 
the  more  for  having  contemned  them  in  the  face  of 
the  whole  town.  They  continued  to  annoy  me  in 
every  way  that  they  possibly  could ;  if  I  gained  five 
pence,  they  magnified  it  to  as  many  guineas,  and 
charged  me  for  taxes  to  the  utmost  extent  of  their 
power. 


148  A    TALE    OF 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Revolution  of  1688 — Landing  of  the  Dutch — Unexpected  visi- 
tor— Soldiers  billeted  on  mc — Retire  from  business — En- 
deavour to  make  Calimancocs — Profit  upon  them — Instruct 
a  crippled  weaver — Secret  discovered — Visit  Dublin  and 
Cork — Shipwreck — Place  Bons  in  Holland — Increase  of 
family. 

A  SHORT  time  after  the  prosecution  related  in  the 
last  chapter,  the  glorious  Revolution  of  1688  com- 
menced. I  felt  very  anxious  about  tlie  t  ffect  it  might 
have  upon  the  welfare  of  me  and  mir.i'.  I  had  a  vi- 
yid  recollection  of  the  end  of  the  Monmouth  rebel- 
lion, for  they  were  still  hanging  and  quartering  when 
I  landed  in   England. 

The  Prince  of  Orange  was  welcomed  at  Exeter  by 
the  same  party  that  had  declared  for  Monmouth. 
Three  sorry-looking  Dutchmen  took  possession  of 
Taunton  without  the  slightest  show  of  resistance 
from  any  quarter  ;  and  the  common  people  hailed 
their  arrival  as  a  joyous  event. 

The  Mayor  and  Aldermen,  who  were  most  decided 
Jacobites,  held  aloof  to  watch  the  issue,  contenting 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  149 

themselves  with  notiDg  down  all  persons  who  appear- 
ed to  favour  the  Dutch,  expecting  to  have  them  hang, 
ed  after  a  while,  as  those  had  been  who  joined  the 
Duke  of  Monmouth. 

I  felt  certain  that  whichever  side  I  might  espouse, 
my  name  would  have  a  prominent  place  in  the  list 
of  culprits,  and  I  was  the  more  convinced  of  this  from 
the  story  that  was  propagated  about  me. 

On  the  arrival  of  a  company  of  soldiers  at  Taun- 
ton, they  were  informed  that  there  was  a  French  Je- 
suit in  the  place,  who  said  mass  in  his  house  every 
Sunday.  It  so  happened  that  the  Captain  of  this 
company  was  a  French  Refugee,  who  had  settled  in 
Holland,  and  entered  the  army  of  the  Prince  of 
Orange ;  he  determined  to  be  the  first  to  seize 
the  French  Jesuit,  and  being  directed  to  my  house, 
he  was  before  the  door  with  a  guard  of  soldiers  at 
so  early  an  hour,  that  none  of  the  family  were  stir- 
ring except  a  female  domestic  who  was  a  Frenchwo- 
man. From  her  the  Captain  enquired  who  lived  in 
that  house. 

She  replied — "  Mr.  Fontaine,  a  minister  from 
Rovan,  lives  here." 

The  Captain  immediately  desired  her  to  go  to  my 
room  and  and  tell  me  that  Captain  Rabainieres  was 
below,  anxious  to  embrace  me.  I  only  waited  long 
enough  to  put  on  my  robe  de   chambre,  and  went 

13* 


160  A    TALE    OP 

down  to  welcome  this  dear  friend  who  had  lived  with, 
in  four  or  five  miles  of  my  residence  in  France.  We 
embraced  each  other  with  the  warmth  of  fraternal 
afTction,  and  he  introduced  me  to  his  brofner-officers, 
who  at  once  tendered  their  friendship  with  the  assur- 
ance of  any  service  in  their  power.  I  cannot  pass 
on  without  calling  your  attention  to  this,  as  one  of 
the  many  instances  wherein  the  providence  of  God 
watched  over  and  shielded  me  from  threatened  danger. 

A  crowd  had  collected  to  enjoy  the  sport  of  see. 
iug  the  French  Jesuit  hung  on  the  spot,  and  when 
they  witnessed  the  warmth  of  our  salutations,  they 
cried  out  that  they  were  ruined,  for  those  whom 
they  had  looked  upon  as  their  hbcrators  must  be  Pa- 
pists also. 

From  my  never  attending  the  Parish  Church,  the 
idea  had  prevailed  that  I  was  really  a  Jesuit,  and  some 
of  those  persons  who  envied  my  prosperity  had  been 
at  no  small  pains  to  confirm  the  impression,  and 
many  of  the  common  people  believed  it  so  firmly  that 
it  was  a  great  disappointment  to  them  not  to  see  me 
hanged. 

The  oflicers  went  to  the  door  to  disperse  the  pop. 
ulace,  and  told  them  that  I  was  a  good  Protestant, 
probably  better  than  most  of  them  ;  and  when  they 
went  away  they  left  soldiers  at  my  door  as  a  precau- 
tionary measure  for  fear  of  violence. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  151 

When  several  more  of  King  William's  regiments 
were  quartered  in  the  town,  j^ou  may  rest  assured 
I  was  not  forgotten  in  the  billeting  of  them  upon  the 
inhabitants. 

I  complained  to  the  Mayor  that  two  had  been  sent 
to  me,  and  that  it  was  unusual  to  quarter  soldiers  upon 
a  minister.  He  heard  me  patiently,  but  I  had  no 
sooner  got  home  than  two  more  soldiers  presented 
me  a  billet. 

I  went  to  complain  a  second  time  and  I  was  an- 
swered that  full  justice  would  be  done  by  me  ;  and 
directly  I  reached  home  four  more  came  to  me.  I 
did  not  complain  a  third  time  for  fear  of  having  six- 
teen to  feed  instead  of  eight.  They  were  with  me 
three  weeks,  and  I  did  the  best  I  could  by  them,  ex- 
plaining to  them  my  situation. 

The  times  were  so  ticklish  and  the  town  Magis- 
trates so  decidedly  anxious  to  put  every  difficulty 
in  my  way,  that  I  thought  I  had  better  examine  into 
my  affairs,  and  withdraw  from  all  large  transactions 
for  the  present,  and  content  myself  with  the  school  I 
kept.  I  worked  hard  for  many  nights  making  out 
an  inventory  and  putting  every  thing  down  at  a  low 
valuation,  and  I  was  pleased  to  find  that  there  was 
enough  to  pay  every  body,  and  a  little  to  spare.  I 
sent  some  of  my  manufactures  to  the  wholesale  deal- 
ers from  whom  I  had  bought  on  credit,  and  desired 


152  A    TALE    OP 

they  would  sell  them,  and  pay  themselves  out  of  the 
proceeds,  and  return  me  any  balance  that  there  might 
be.  This  arrangement  was  satisfactory  to  all  parties, 
for  the  times  were  very  hard,  and  they  had  not  felt 
quite  certain  of  my  stability. 

As  soon  as  it  was  understood  that  I  wished  to  dis- 
pose of  my  shop  and  stock  in  trade,  a  young  man 
came  forward,  expecting  to  do  wonders  from  the  ex- 
aggerated accounts  he  had  received  of  my  business. 
He  took  every  thing  at  the  cost  price  as  entered  on 
my  books,  and  in  March  1G89,  he  paid  me  £400,  for 
all  and  every  thing.  With  this  sum  I  at  once  paid 
the  wholesale  dealers  as  far  as  it  would  go,  so  that 
after  they  had  sold  my  goods  they  were  indebted  to 
me,  and  I  left  the  money  in  their  hands  until  the 
troubles  should  be  at  an  end,  in  order  that  I  might 
then  have  a  little  leaven  to  begin  again  upon  with  re- 
newed  vigour. 

I  felt  very  grateful  to  my  Maker  for  his  blessing 
upon  my  labors,  which  had  enabled  me  to  pay  every 
thing  that  I  owed,  including  that  disastrous  voyage 
which  had  caused  a  debt  that  hung  heavily  upon  me 
until  I  was  able  to  pay  it.  And  in  addition  to  this, 
I  was  sole  owner  of  all  the  tools  and  utensils  ncces- 
sary  for  manufacturing  stuffs ;  wr  had  comfortable 
furniture  ;  and  £14  in  cash.  This  had  not  been  ac- 
complished without  considerable  fatigue  and  anxiety 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  153 

both  to  your  mother  and  myself.  But  what  will  not 
parents  do  for  their  children  ! 

I  found  keeping  a  school  but  an  ungrateful  employ- 
ment, I  was  soon  tired  of  it ;  and  the  more  so,  be- 
cause it  barely  procured  a  maintenance  for  us,  and 
would  not  be  equal  to  the  wants  of  our  increasing 
family. 

James  II.  having  taKen  refuge  in  France,  and  the 
nation  having  received  William  and  Mary  as  King 
and  Queen  ;  things  began  to  assume  a  settled  aspect, 
and  I  thought  it  was  time  for  me  to  exert  myself 
again. 

At  Norwich  there  was  a  sort  of  stuff  made,  which 
was  very  fashionable  and  substantial,  called  Cali- 
manco,  and  I  determined  to  make  an  attempt  to  imi- 
tate it ;  having  never  you  know  served  any  appren- 
ticeship, it  was  all  the  same  to  me ;  and  my  brain 
must  be  drawn  upon  for  whatever  I  undertook.  I 
thought  it  better  to  try  to  make  something  new  in- 
stead of  going  on  in  the  old  style ;  for  the  serge 
which  we  had  made  before  was  now  out  of  fashion, 
and  those  who  manufactured  it  scarcely  earned  salt 
to  their  porridge ;  but  then  they  had  served  an  ap- 
prenticeship to  it,  and  working  altogether  mechani- 
cally and  not  with  the  understanding,  they  were 
really  incapable  of  putting  their  hands  to  any  thing 
else.     I  was  assailed  by  an  almost  insurmountable 


154  A    TALE    OF 

difficulty  at  the  outset.  The  Xorwich  stuff  was 
made  of  extremely  fine  worsted  double  twisted ;  now 
there  was  not  in  Taunton  a  spinner  who  could  spin 
so  fine,  nor  a  weaver  who  knew  how  to  weave  it,  no 
machinery  suitable  for  the  manufacture,  nor  a  person 
who  knew  how  to  construct  it ;  and  I  had  never  seen 
any.  I  saw  at  the  same  time  that  if  money  was  to 
be  gained  by  manufacturing,  this  was  the  stuff  that 
ought  to  be  made.  As  I  could  not  get  the  worsted 
spun  fine  enough  to  allow  of  doubling  and  retwisting 
it,  I  must  try  how  it  could  be  managed  with  a  single 
thread. 

I  engaged  a  weaver  who  was  out  of  employment, 
and  apparently  docile ;  I  made  all  the  machinery, 
and  put  it  up  with  my  own  hands,  and  spent  a  couple 
of  hours  every  day  trying  to  instruct  him ;  and  for 
three  months  this  went  on,  altering  the  thread  and 
machinery  about  once  a  fortnight,  and  still  not  an 
inch  of  the  desired  fabric  was  produced  ;  and  I  was 
paying  the  weaver  his  full  wages  all  the  time. 

After  this  a  voung  man  came  to  solicit  charity 
from  me,  he  was  in  the  greatest  distress,  his  wife  was 
hourly  expecting  her  confinement,  and  they  were  ab- 
solutely penniless.  He  said  if  I  would  give  him  em- 
ployment, I  sliould  never  have  reason  to  repent  it, 
he  would  spare  no  pains  to  please  me,  and  that  his 
extreme  need  might  convince  me  of  the  assiduity 


THE    HUGUEXOTS.  155 

with  which  he  would  labor  for  any  body  who  would 
help  him  at  this  pinch.  I  took  him  and  his  wife  into 
my  house,  and  fed  the  two,  and  soon  three  of  them. 
I  fitted  up  a  loom  for  him  to  try  what  he  could  do, 
and  he  entered  into  all  my  plans,  working  night  and 
day  with  unceasing  industry,  for  he  knew  that  upon 
his  success  depended  his  earning  a  comfortable  living 
for  his  wife  and  child. 

At  the  end  of  a  fortnight,  after  trying  seven  or 
eight  different  plans,  we  produced  a  yard  of  Cali- 
manco  which  looked  very  well,  but  being  made  of 
single  thread,  it  had  no  more  substance  than  serge. 
It  was  necessary  for  me  to  set  my  wits  to  work  again, 
to  try  to  find  some  plan  by  which  I  could  produce  a 
substantial  fabric  out  of  the  materials  that  were  at 
my  command,  and  thus  I  contrived  it.  I  made  the 
warp,  which  appeared  all  on  the  right  side,  of  fine 
wool  coarsely  spun ;  and  the  weft  of  very  coarse 
wool,  combed  like  fine  wool,  and  spun  coarsely  and 
compactly.  The  second  piece  was  begun  on  this 
plan  just  two  months  after  I  took  the  family  into 
my  house.  The  first  piece  only  sold  for  three  pence 
a  yard,  but  we  did  not  tell  any  body  how  long  we  had 
been  in  making  it. 

I  kept  a  most  exact  account  of  all  that  I  expended 
in  these  fruitless  attempts,  and  the  first  sale  only 
served  to  make  my  inmate  discreet,  and  he  never 


156  A    TALK    OF 

asked  for  money  but  when  it  was  absolutely  neces. 
sary. 

He  was  more  expert  with  the  second  piece,  hav- 
ing learnt  the  process  ;  lie  was  able  to  make  half  a 
yard,  and  tlien  a  yard  in  a  day  ;  and  when  it  came 
out  of  the  frame  it  appeared  handsome,  and  as  strong 
and  substantial  as  the  real  Norwich ;  but  when  it 
came  home  from  the  mill  where  it  was  pressed  it 
looked  like  nothing  better  than  a  coarse  coverlid, 
great  strong  hairs  sticking  out  in  all  directions.  I 
recollected  when  I  was  at  school  often  going  to  a 
hatter's  shop  which  waa  opposite  to  warm  myself; 
and  I  used  to  see  them  burn  off  the  long  hairs  from 
the  hats  with  a  wisp  of  straw ;  so  I  thought  that 
would  be  the  mode  of  remedying  the  defect  in  mv 
calimanco.  A  hat  can  be  easily  turned  round  in  the 
hand  to  apply  the  flame,  not  so  a  piece  of  stuff;  a 
machine  must  be  made  for  the  purpose  of  doing  it 
with  certainty  and  regularity.  This  piece  however 
I  determined  to  singe  as  well  as  I  could  without  wait- 
ing  for  a  machine.  I  had  to  call  in  the  aid  of  my 
wife  and  her  sister,  and  they  laughed  so  heartily  at 
my  dilemma  that  1  felt  almost  discouraged.  I  wet 
the  piece  so  as  not  to  burn  the  stuff  as  well  as  the 
hairs,  and  my  wife  and  sister  held  it,  while  I  passed 
the  blazing  wisp  of  straw  over  it.  At  last  we  finished, 
and  then  I  had  the  right  to  laugh,  for  after  washing 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  157 

and  pressing,  it  looked  beautiful ;  I  sent  it  to  Exeter, 
and  the  draper  allowed  me  two  shillings  and  sixpence 
a  yard  for  it,  and  I  found  I  could  make  it  for  fifteen 
pence.  Here  was  an  ample  reward  for  all  my  trou- 
ble and  expense. 

My  workman  improved  and  made  it  better  and  bet- 
ter-every  day,  and  I  agreed  to  pay  him  four  pence 
halfpenny  for  every  yard  he  made  in  future,  and  he 
was  soon  able  to  produce  ten  or  twelve  yards  in  a 
day.  I  also  employed  again  tlie  man  who  had 
worked  unsuccessfully  for  so  long  a  time,  and  he  ac- 
quired it  after  a  while.  I  now  hired  a  shop  for  the 
sale  of  my  manufactures ;  and  I  took  from  my  old 
tradesmen  all  the  articles  I  wanted,  paying  them 
with  my  own  goods.  I  took  more  workmen  into  my 
employment,  binding  them  not  to  work  for  any  one 
else,  or  to  teach  the  art,  under  a  penalty  of  £10. 
They  were  all  willing  to  enter  into  such  an  agree- 
ment, because  they  could  earn  just  three  times  as 
much  by  my  work  as  by  making  serge. 

When  I  had  the  machine  made  for  sinoreinff  the 
hairs,  I  employed  different  mechanics  to  make  the 
various  parts,  so  that  not  one  of  them  knew  the  use  of 
that  which  he  was  making ;  and  I  put  all  together 
myself.  It  consisted  of  two  large  rollers,  and  the 
piece  was  wound  gently,  off  the  one,  and  upon  the 
other,  and  fire  applied  during  its  passage ;  and  when 

14 


158  A    TALE    OF 

both  sides  were  singed,  it  was  washed  in  the  river, 
and  pressed,  and  really  had  much  the  appearance  of 
the  true  calimancoes ;  the  strength  ot'  the  coarse 
worsted  gave  it  substance,  and  the  fineness  of  the 
warp  gave  it  lustre.  You  will  believe  that  this  was 
great  slavery  to  me,  for  as  the  secret  must  be  kept, 
it  was  necessary  that  I  should  do  this  part  myselt'. 
My  wife  turned  the  spit,  and  I  roasted  the  joint. 

In  seven  or  eight  months,  I  kept  t'rom  twelve  to  fif- 
teen  looms  constantly  at  work.  The  old  fashioned 
naanutacturers  of  serge  were  rather  envious,  and 
looked  upon  me  almost  as  a  sorcerer.  Their  as- 
tonishment at  my  inventive  genius  was  increased  by 
an  incident  which  I  will  relate. 

I  heard  accidentally  of  a  poor  weaver  who  had 
lost  a  leg,  and  in  consequence  of  it,  he  was,  accord- 
ing to  the  general  opinion,  incapable  of  ever  working 
again  at  his  trade  of  serge-weaving ;  because  they 
and  their  fathers  before  them  had  never  imagined  it 
possible  to  weave  serge  with  one  foot ;  and  the  poor 
man  and  his  family  had  been  supported  by  the  parish 
for  thrce  years.  I  thought  much  about  him,  and 
having  discovered  the  way,  I  went  to  see  hira  at 
his  brother's  house  where  he  lived.  I  asked  the 
poor  cripple  if  he  would  wish  to  weave  again. 

"  Alas  !"  said  he,  weeping,  "  God  has  been  pleased 
to  deprive  of  my  leg  and  it  is  impossible." 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  159 

I  made  his  brother  get  out  of  the  frame  in  which 
he  was  at  work ;  I  detached  all  the  cords  from  the 
treads,  and  arranged  them  differently,  and  then  asked 
the  cripple  to  enter  the  frame,  and  showed  him  how 
he  could  use  his  remaining  leg,  first  on  one  tread, 
and  then  on  the  other  ;  and  in  an  hour's  time  he  had 
made  a  quarter  of  a  yard  of  serge  in  his  brother's 
frame,  and  equal  in  all  respects  to  that  woven  by  his 
brother.  I  explained  to  him  particularly  the  way  in 
which  he  must  prepare  for  weaving,  so  as  not  to  get 
his  work  into  confusion  ;  and  I  left  him,  after  he  had 
bestowed  upon  me  many  blessings  and  prayers  for 
my  prosperity.  For  several  days  the  house  was  full 
of  people  to  see  the  extraordinar\'  sight  of  a  man 
weaving  with  one  leg. 

The  son  of  the  Mayor  before  whom  I  had  been  ci- 
ted bribed  one  of  my  workmen  to  teach  him,  and 
guaranteed  him  the  £10  which  he  was  under  engage- 
ment to  pay  me  if  he  worked  for  any  one  else.  I 
did  not  sue  him  for  it,  I  thought  it  would  give  me 
more  trouble  than  it  was  worth. 

When  they  had  made  the  calimanco,  they  met 
with  the  same  difficulty  that  I  had  done  at  the  out- 
set in  the  long  hairs  which  stood  out,  and  no  one 
would  purchase  from  them  ;  so  I  stepped  forward 
and  offered  fifteen  pence  a  yard  for  their  manufac- 
tures which  they  were  glad  to  axcept  of;   I  singed. 


160  A   TALE    OF 

and  then  resold  them  for  two  shillings  and  six  pence. 
Of  course  they  made  no  more  ;  and  the  treacherous 
weaver,  being  thrown  entirely  out  of  employment, 
stole  whatever  he  could  lay  his  hands  on  from  him  who 
had  tempted  him  to  betray  my  secret,  and  left  the 
neighbourhood. 

This  attempt  to  supplant  me  was  so  unpropitious  to 
both  master  and  workman,  that  a  long  time  was  al- 
lowed to  elapse  before  another  trial  was  made;  and 
for  three  years  I  reaped  the  profit  of  my  invention 
free  from  molestation.  During  this  interval  the  de- 
mand for  serge  gradually  decreased,  and  the  people 
again  tried  to  find  out  my  secret,  and  this  time  with 
better  success,  for  some  pieces  had  inadvertently  been 
sent  to  be  pressed  without  being  suflicicntly  washed, 
and  the  smell  of  burning  disclosed  the  inyalcry  ;  and 
then  it  was  recollected  how  much  straw  I  was  in  the 
habit  of  buying  ;  and  laying  the  two  circumstances 
together,  they  had  no  doubt  about  the  matter,  and 
after  a  good  deal  of  trouble  they  got  rollers  at  work 
like  mine,  and  every  one  left  oft'  making  serge. 

The  increased  demand  for  the  coarse  worsted  rais- 
ed the  price  from  a  penny  halfpenny  to  fourpence 
per  pound,  and  what  was  worse,  the  market  became 
overstocked  with  calimancoes,  and  the  price  fell  to 
two  shillings,  then  to  eighteen  pence,  and  at  last  to 
fifteen  pence  a  yard. 


THE    HUGUEr^OTS.  161 

Then  I  made  mine  spotted,  and  obtained  a  prefer- 
ence  over  theirs  ;  they  soon  imitated  me,  and  then  I 
contrived  to'  make  fresh  variations  in  the  patterns. 
It  was  very  vexatious  to  be  thus  racking  my  brains 
to  invent  something  new,  and  as  soon  as  I  had  sue- 
ceeded,  to  see  myself  imitated  and  undersold. 

I  was  weary  of  the  business,  and  seeing  I  was  now 
worth  £1,000, 1  thought  I  would  try  if  I  could  not  meet 
with  a  French  Church  ;  and  knowing  that  there 
were  many  Refugees  in  Ireland,  I  went  over  to  Dublin, 
and  was  there  recommended  to  proceed  to  Cork,  where 
I  found  that  several  French  families  were  settled  who 
were  very  desirous  to  have  a  minister,  but  they  had 
hitherto  hardly  dared  to  make  the  attempt,  because 
their  means  would  not  allow  them  to  offer  a  sufficient 
stipend.  God  had  vouchsafed  to  bless  my  labors,  so 
that  I  felt  myself  independent ;  and  this  opportunity 
of  preaching  his  Gospel  without  remuneration  pleas- 
ed  me  exceedingly  ;  and  I  agreed  to  return  to  Cork 
as  soon  as  I  could  wind  up  my  affairs  in  Taunton  and 
remove  my  family. 

I  met  with  two  very  poor  French  families  in  Cork 
who  were  almost  starving  from  want  of  employment, 
they  were  weavers  by  trade  ;  I  felt  much  sympathy 
for  them,  and  I  bought  worsted  and  dyes  for  their 
use,  and  left  £25  with  Mr.  Abelin,  an  Elder  of  our 
Church,  and  directed  him  to  expend  it  in  whatever 

14* 


162  A    TALE    OF 

was  necessary  for  them  to  manufacture  such  stuffs 
as  they  had  been  accustomed  to  make  in  France ; 
and  as  fast  as  tliey  finished  the  work,  they  were  to 
bring  it  to  him  for  sale,  and  he  was  to  have  a  sort  of 
supervision  of  their  fumihes  until  my  return.  I  had 
the  satisfaction  of  finding  afterwards  that  they  had 
been  comfortably  supported  out  of  the  profits  upon 
their  labor  during  my  absence,  and  the  little  capital 
I  had  deposited  with  Mr.  Abclin  was  unbroken. 

On  my  return  to  Taunton  we  made  immediate 
preparations  for  removing  to  Ireland,  and  the  pack- 
ing  up  our  goods  and  closing  my  concerns  occupied 
about  six  weeks.  We  took  twelve  horse-loads  of  fur- 
niture and  baggage  to  Bristol,  whence  we  intended  to 
einbark  ;  and  I  purchased  there  a  variety  of  drugs 
for  dyeing,  and  large  coppers,  and  screws,  and  in 
short  every  thing  that  I  thought  would  be  requisite 
for  setting  up  a  manufactory  at  Cork  ;  because  I 
knew  that  I  should  have  to  do  something  for  the  sup- 
port  of  my  family,  or  I  should  soon  see  the  end  of  my 
thousand  pounds,  as  the  congregation  for  whom  I 
was  called  to  officiate  were  unable  to  pay  me  any  sti- 
pend. 

I  have  never  mentioned  the  melancholy  fate  of  my 
sister  Elizabeth,  one  of  the  daughters  of  my  father*s 
first  marriage.  She  was  married  to  Mr.  Sautreau, 
minister  of  Saujon  in  Saintonge,  and  his  Church  be- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  163 

ing  condemned  some  time  before  the  great  persecu- 
tion,  he  determined  to  leave  his  native  country  with- 
out delay,  and  seek  a  home  where  he  would  have  the 
full  liberty  of  worshipping  God  in  purity  and  sinceri- 
ty. He,  and  his  wife,  and  five  children  went  to 
Ireland,  and  after  a  very  short  stay  there,  they  em- 
barked at  Dublin  in  a  vessel  bound  to  Boston  in 
North  America.  They  were  shipwrecked  within 
sight  of  port  and  every  soul  on  board  perished.  This 
3.wful  event,  by  which  a  Av^hole  family  was  swept  off 
at  once,  was  much  in  my  thoughts  as  the  time  ap- 
proached for  us  to  adventure  by  sea  to  Cork,  and  feel- 
ing unwilling  to  trust  my  whole  family  in  one  bark,  I 
took  my  sons  James  and  Aaron  to  Amsterdam,  and 
placed  them  under  the  care  of  a  near  relation  there, 
and  I  thought  also  that  it  might  be  advantageous  to 
them  to  acquire  the  Dutch  language. 

I  have  neglected  to  name,  that  during  our  residence 
in  Taunton  my  wife  had  not  been  less  fruitful  than 
my  brain,  for  we  were  now  the  parents  of  six  children, 
five  sons  and  one  daughter. 


164  A   TALE    OF 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Arrival  at  Cork — Enter  upon  pastoral  duties — Manufaclo- 
ry — Great  happiness — Dissension  in  the  cliurch — Resigna- 
tion— Copy  of  certificate — Remarkable  warning  by  a 
dream — Visit  fishing  stations — Death  of  Aaron — Turn  fish- 
erman— Remove  to  Bear  Haven — Loss  of  the  Robert — 
Bad  season — Trading  voyage — Success  in  fishing — Loss  by 
mismanagement  of  partners — Troublesome  Irish  neigh- 
bours. ' 

Wi:  landed  in  safety  at  Cork  on  the  24th  December 
1G91,  and  the  agreement  I  had  entered  into  with  the 
congregation  was  solemnly  renewed.  You  may  see 
the  particulars  in  the  act  of  the  Consistory  of  Cork 
dated  19  January,  1695,  on  which  day  I  commenced 
the  discharge  of  my  pastoral  duties. 

At  first  I  preached  at  Christ  Church,  the  use  of  it 
beins  ifranted  to  us  after  the  English  had  finished 

DO  O 

the  services  of  the  day ;  then  we  assembled  in  the 
County  Court  room  for  our  worship,  and  finally,  I 
gave  up,  for  the  use  of  the  Church,  a  spacious  apart- 
ment on  the  lower  floor  of  my  house,  and  we  had  it 
regularly  fitted  up  with  pulpit,  benches,  and  every 
thing  necessary. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  165 

My  manufactory  here  was  altogether  different 
from  that  which  I  had  carried  on  at  Taunton.  I 
considered  it  best  to  make  something  for  which  there 
would  be  a  demand  near  home.  Coarse  baize  was 
the  great  article  of  manufacture  in  this  place,  but  1 
determined  to  try  my  skill  in  something  of  better 
quality,  and  I  succeeded  in  making  good  broad-cloth 
for  which  it  was  only  necessary  to  use  finer  wool 
and  weave  it  closer  and  tighter.  I  built  a  dye  house 
for  my  own  use  at  the  edge  of  the  river  for  the  con- 
venience of  pumping  up  the  water.  A  dyer  in  the 
city  applied  for  permission  to  use  my  apparatus, 
which  I  granted  on  the  condition  that  he  dyed  all  my 
worsteds  and  cloths  without  charge,  and  made  me  a 
certain  allowance  out  of  his  profits  in  dyeing  for 
other  people.  My  knowledge  was  very  advanta- 
geous to  him,  because  I  had  always  written  down  the 
proportions  of  each  drug  that  we  used  at  Taunton, 
and  attached  to  the  memorandum  a  pattern  of  the  ar- 
ticle dyed  ;  thus  when  he  brought  me  any  order  he 
had  received,  by  a  reference  to  my  books  and  com- 
paring his  pattern  with  those  I  had  preserved,  I  was 
able  to  tell  him  at  once  the  exact  quantity  he  would 
require  of  each  drug,  and  my  instruction  never  failed 
to  prove  correct. 

I  was  now  at  the  height  of  my  ambition  ;  I  was  be- 
loved by  my  hearers,  to  whom  I  preached  gratuitous- 


166  A   TALE    OP 

ly,  and  thereby  had  tlie  satisfaction  of  serving  the 
God  who  liad  blessed  me,  without  deriving  any  pecu- 
niary advantage  from  it.  My  dear  wife  gained  by 
our  manufactory  an  am{)lc  support  for  the  family  ; 
and  by  giving  employment  to  many  poor  Refugees, 
we  were  the  means  of  enabling:  them  to  maintain 
their  families  respectably.  The  Church  increased 
daily,  Refugees  came  from  various  parts  when  they 
heard  that  there  was  a  French  Church  in  Cork  ; 
and  by  and  bye  those  who  were  in  easy  circum- 
stances became  ashamed  of  allowing  me  to  preach 
without  receiving  a  stipend,  and  they  proposed  to 
make  a  voluntary  contribution,  if  it  were  only  to 
show  that  they  felt  grateful  for  my  services.  When 
it  came  to  my  knowledge,  I  thanked  them  much,  but 
added  that  as  they  could  not  possibly  raise  enough  to 
support  my  family  without  exertion  on  my  own  part, 
I  would  greatly  prefer  that  whatever  they  collected 
should  be  appropriated  to  the  relief  of  the  poor,  of 
whom  we  had  many  in  the  congregation  ;  and  that  it 
gave  me  great  pleasure  to  imitate  St.  Paul,  preaching 
the  Gospel  and  earning  my  living  at  the  same  time 
by  the  labor  of  my  hands.  They  were  well  satisfied 
with  this  answer,  because  they  could  not  raise  more 
than  £10,  or  at  the  very  utmost  £15,  which  would 
have  been  a  mere  trifle  towards  the  support  of  my 
large  family. 


THE    HUGUENOTS. 


167 


The  corporation  of  Cork  as  a  mark  of  their  esteem 
presented  me  with  the  freedom  of  the  City. 

This  state  of  things  was  altogether  too  good  to 
last,  my  cup  of  happiness  was  now  full  to  overflow- 
ing, and  like  all  the  enjoyments  of  this  earth  it  prov- 
ed  very  transitory. 

Great  numbers  of  zealous,  pious  and  upright  per- 
sons had  joined  our  communion  ;  but  it  could  not  be 
expected  that  all  were  of  this  class  ;  and  unfortun- 
ately  there  were  some  in  the  flock  whose  conduct 
was  not  regulated  by  the  principles  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion.  A  man  named  Isaac  de  la  Croix,  originally 
a  merchant  in  Calais,  who  had  caused  dissension  in 
the  Church  there  before  its  condemnation  ;  then  set- 
tied  in  Dover,  and  there  also  made  dissension  in  the 
Church  ;  and  to  punish  us  for  our  sins  he  came  from 
there  to  join  our  Church,  and  he  had  not  been  with 
us  more  than  eighteen  months  before  he  was  the 
cause  of  discord  amongst  us  also.  The  history  of  it 
is  as  follows.  He  had  a  son  twenty-five  years  ot 
acre,  who  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  business  on  his 
own  account ;  this  young  man  chartered  a  vessel  of 
tibout  30  tons  for  Ostend,  and  he  loaded  her  with  but- 
ter  and  tallow,  promising  payment  in  ready  money. 
On  a  Saturday  afternoon  he  went  down  in  the  ves- 
eel  to  Cove,  at  the  mouth  of  the  harbour,  and  expec- 
ted, the  next  day  being  Sunday,  to  steal  away,  and 


168  A    TALE    OF 

get  fairly  out  to  sea  without  paying  for  any  part 
of  his  cargo.  A  butcher,  from  whom  he  had  made 
some  purchases,  feeUng  a  Uttle  suspicious,  went  to 
the  father,  produced  his  son's  promisory  note,  and 
asked  him  to  endorse  it ;  he,  thinking  the  vessel  had 
got  to  sea,  made  answer  that  he  had  notiiing  to  do 
with  his  son's  affairs.  The  butcher  without  loss  of 
time  hired  a  boat,  and  went  down  with  bailiffs  to 
Cove,  where  he  found  the  vessel  and  stopped  her,  thus 
arresting  the  dishonesty  of  both  father  and  son. 

It  so  happened  that  I  had  some  time  before  com- 
menced a  series  of  sermons  on  the  ten  commandments, 
and  on  Sunday,  the  day  after  this  intended  fraud  had 
been  discovered,  my  text,  in  regular  course,  was  the 
eiffhth  commandment  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal."  I 
solemnly  declare  before  God,  that  when  I  mounted 
the  pulpit,  not  a  whisper  of  this  transaction  had  reach- 
ed my  ears.  I  proceeded  in  my  exposition  to  the 
very  best  of  my  power,  explaining  the  various  ways 
in  which  its  spirit  might  be  violated  ;  and  amongst 
others,  I  very  naturally  named  the  tricks  and  eva- 
sions sometimes  practised  in  commerce,  which 
branch  of  the  subject  must  have  been  well  handled, 
for  Isaac  dc  la  Croix  felt  that  his  character  was 
sketched  to  the  very  life,  and  concluded  that  it  was 
intended  for  him,  which  enraged  him  so  much  that 
as  he  left  the  Church  he  declared,  with  the  most  bias- 


THE    HUGUEXOTS.  169 

phemous  oaths,  that  he  would  make  me  suffer  for 
what  I  had  said. 

The  elders  related  the  story  to  me  after  the  ser- 
mon, and  I  protested  to  them  that  I  knew  nothing  of 
it  before,  and  that  the  singular  coincidence  must  be 
ascribed  to  the  providence  of  God  alone.  Mr.  de  la 
Croix  would  not  believe  that  it  was  undesigned,  and 
continued  his  threats  of  revenge,  and  in  the  end  made 
his  words  good,  for  he  did  cause  me  much  anxiety 
and  unhappiness. 

On  Monday  morning  it  was  ascertained  that  neith- 
er father  nor  son  could  pay  for  the  cargo  ;  the  son 
ran  away  and  I  never  heard  more  of  him  ;  the  cred- 
itors went  on  board  the  vessel,  and  each  claimed 
his  own  property  as  well  as  he  could,  the  vessel  was 
emptied,  and  the  Captain  was  the  mainToser,  having 
to  seek  a  fresh  freight. 

Mr.  de  la  Croix  did  not  forget  his  promise  of  re- 
venging himself  upon  me  for  his  imaginary  injury ; 
he  set  to  work  without  loss  of  time  to  poison  the 
minds  of  my  flock,  he  began  with  persons  whom  he 
knew  to  be  weak  and  vain,  telling  them  they  would 
never  rise  to  consideration  in  the  city  so  long  as  they 
had  a  Presbyterian  for  their  Minister.  In  this  way 
he  wrought  upon  those  who  looked  up  to  the  ofiice  of 
Mayor  or  even  sheriff  as  something  to  be  desired 
above  measure ;  and  by  degrees,  a  spirit  of  opposi- 

15 


170  A    TALE    OF 

tion  was  infused  into  large  numbers  of  my  hearers, 
and  they  required  me  to  receive  ordination  from  the 
Bishop  ;  this  begot  discussion,  and  the  dispute  wax- 
ing warm,  I  must  acknowledge  that  I  said  that  which 
it  would  have  been  much  better  to  have  left  unsaid. 
A  complaint  was  made  to  the  Bishop  of  what  I  had 
said  ;  and  it  contained  what  I  had  said,  what  I  had 
not  said,  and  assuredly  what  I  had  not  even  so  much 
as  thought.  The  Bishop  was  exasperated  by  this  re- 
port, and  he  wrote  in  consequence  thereof  to  my 
Lord  Galway,  then  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  Ireland  ; 
this  caused  a  correspondence  between  his  Lordship  and 
myself  of  which  you  will  find  full  copies  amongst  my 
papers.  Mr.  de  la  Croix  went  so  far  as  to  assert 
that  I  was  no  Minister  at  all,  and  he  visited  from 
house  for  house  repeating  it,  so  that  I  was  obliged  to 
write  for  vouchers  to  the  gentlemen  of  the  Walloon 
Church  in  Threadneedle  street,  London.  Finally, 
I  felt  it  my  duty,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  to  request 
that  they  would  allow  me  to  resign,  and  I  annex  a 
copy  of  their  permission. 

(copy.) 

"  Mr.  James  Fontaine  our  Minister  having  written 
to  this  congregation  to  request  to  be  released  from  the 
service  of  the  Church,  for  reasons  assigned  in  his  let- 
ter  of  30th.  May  last    this  congregation,  distre<?sed 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  171 

at  the  prospect  of  separation,  and  the  causes  which 
have  led  him  to  request  it,  deem  it  expedient  never- 
theless to  give  a  reluctant  and  sorrowful  consent 
to  his  desire ;  thanking  him  most  humhly  for  the 
services  he  has  rendered  to  this  church  during  two 
years  and  a  half,  without  receiving  any  stipend  or 
equivalent  whatsoever  for  his  unceasing  exertions. 
We  feel  bound  to  testify  that  though  he  has  been 
obliged  to  use  his  own  industry  for  the  support  of  his 
family,  yet  it  has  never  occasioned  him  to  neglect 
any  duty  of  the  Holy  Ministry.  We  have  been  ex- 
tremely edified  by  his  preaching,  which  has  always 
been  in  strict  accordance  with  the  pure  word  of  God. 
He  has  imparted  consolation  to  the  sick  and  afflict- 
ed, and  set  a  bright  example  to  the  flock  of  the  most 
exemplary  piety  and  good  conduct.  We  pray'God  to 
bless  him  and  his  family,  and  to  grant  him  the  con- 
solation of  exercising  elsevv'here,  with  more  comfort 
to  himself,  those  gifts  which  God  has  given  him  for 
the  Holy  Ministry  to  which  he  has  been  called. 

In  testimony  whereof  we  have  given  to  him  this 
present  certificate  dt  Cork,  5th.  June,  1698. 


Signed,  P.  Reistue. 

P.  Cesteau. 
M.  Ardouin. 
Caillox. 
John  Hanneton. 


Elders, 


172  A    TALE    OP 

Thus  you  see  how  much  mischief  one  quarrelsome 
maHcious  spirit  may  occasion  in  a  flock ;  the  poor 
Minister  feels  it  his  duty  to  sacrifice  his  own  com- 
fort and  interest  for  the  peace  of  the  church.  It  was 
a  great  source  of  satisfaction  to  me  to  be  succeeded 
by  Mr.  IMarcomb  who  continued  to  carry  on  every 
thing  in  the  way  I  had  commenced,  and  the  church 
has  ever  since  been  governed  according  to  the  French 
mode. 

I  sometimes  repented  that  I  had  been  so  humble 
as  to  request  my  discharge,  for  you  will  see,  in  the 
sequel,  that  I  lost  at  Bear  Haven  all  the  property  I 
had  previously  gained.  Nevertheless  God,  who  only 
sends  afilictions  to  try  our  faith  and  not  to  ruin  us, 
has  in  his  infinite  wisdom  turned  all  i!}v  misfortunes, 
losses,  and  disgrace  to  my  ultimate  advantage,  even 
in  this  lile,  and  has  almost  miraculously  provided  me 
with  all  that  was  needful  for  the  education  of  my 
children. 

Before  proceeding,  T  must  relate  a  very  extraordi- 
nary event.  I  have  already  said  that  before  I  left 
Taunton  I  placed  my  two  oidcsi  boys  James  and 
Aaron  in  Amsterdam ;  they  remained  there  two  en- 
tire years,  and  wlien  I  wished  them  to  return,  a  Cap- 
:ain  of  a  vessel  named  De  Condre,  who  was  going  to 
Ostend,  offered  to  bring  them  back  with  him  to  Cork. 
We  knew  notliing  whatever  of  this  man's  character, 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  l73 

but  my  wife  had  knovv^n  some  of  his  relations  who  liv- 
ed in  the  neigbourhood  that  she  came  from  in  France, 
and  altogether  we  thought  it  a  favourable  opportu- 
tunity  for  the  boys  to  return  ;  we  thankfully  accept- 
ed his  offer,  and  I  intrusted  to  him  some  of  my  manu- 
factures to  the  value  of  £40.  I  wrote  by  him  and 
desired  the  boys  to  proceed  to  Ostend,  which  they 
did.  The  vessel  was  to  stop  and  discharge  some  of 
her  cargo  in  London,  and  then  return  to  Cork. 

I  had  a  letter  from  my  brother  Peter  who  resided 
in  London  to  inform  me  that  she  had  arrived  there, 
and  that  the  boys  were  in  good  health,  staying  at  his 
house,  until  the  merchandise  was  discharged.  The 
night  after  I  received  this  letter  I  had  the  most  dis- 
tressing dream  you  can  imagine.  I  saw  my  poor 
boys  struggling  in  the  water,  and  that  there  was  no 
help,  they  must  inevitably  be  drowned  ;  I  awoke  in 
agony,  and  every  time  I  got  to  sleep  for  a  few  min- 
utes the  same  dreadful  dream  returned.  In  the  morn- 
ing I  wrote  to  my  brother,  told  him  I  had  altered  my 
plan,  and  did  not  like  trusting  the  boys  to  sea  any 
more,  so  he  must  send  them  by  land  to  Chester,  and 
from  Chester  they  could  cross  the  Channel  to  Dub- 
lin, and  proceed  thence  by  land  to  Cork.  You  might 
suppose  that  after  sending  these  instructions  my 
mind  would  have  been  relieved  ;  no  such  thing,  the 
same  dreadful  object  appeared  before  me  again  each 

15* 


174  A    TALE    OP 

succeeding  night,  and  the  impression  made  on  my 
mind  was  so  powerful,  that  I  was  really  sick  with 
anxiety  and  distress  until  the  next  post  day  ;  and  I 
then  wrote  a  second  letter  to  my  brother,  gave  him 
the  particulars  of  the  dreams  which  had  afflicted  me 
so  much,  and  told  him  that  I  could  not  but  consider 
them  as  a  warning  from  God,  and  if  my  children 
should  not  yet  have  sailed  at  the  time  he  received 
this  letter,  I  charged  him  most  solemnly  not  to  let 
them  go  by  sea  ;  and  added,  that  if  he  should  do  so 
after  my  telling  him  of  the  warning  I  had  received 
and  the  calamity  I  feared  overtook  them,  that  I  should 
forever  lay  the  blame  of  their  death  at  his  door.  Al- 
most immediately  after  the  receipt  of  this  second  let- 
ter, De  Condre,  being  ready  for  sea,  called  at  my 
brother's  house  for  the  boys  to  go  on  board  the  vessel, 
and  my  brother  gave  him  my  letter  to  read,  with 
which  he  was  greatly  infuriated,  and  wanted  to  take 
them  by  force,  and  when  he  found  that  they  would  not 
be  suffered  to  go  with  him,  he  refused  to  give  up  any 
of  their  baggage  from  the  vessel. 

The}'  returned  according  to  my  directions  by  land, 
(thanks  be  to  my  Heavenly  Father  for  his  providen- 
tial warning)  and  De  Condre  went  to  sea  without 
them,  and  iieither  he  nor  any  of  his  crew  have  ever 
been  heard  of  since.  The  boys  told  me  when  they 
reached  home  that  this  man  was  the  most  horrid  bias- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  175 

phemer  they  had  ever  heard,  that  they  had  trembled 
to  hear  him  vomiting  forth  his  imprecations  even 
against  heaven  itself;  and  on  one  occassion  when 
the  weather  was  bad  he  had  paced  the  deck  Hke  a 
madman  calUng  upon  the  devil  to  do  his  work.  Who 
knows  but  that  God  would  at  that  moment  have  pun- 
ished this  impious  blaphemer,  precipitating  his  body 
to  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  and  his  soul  to  the  gulf  of 
hell,  if  it  had  not  been  for  these  two  innocent  chil- 
dren, in  favor  of  whom  he  deferred  his  vengeance  and 
warned  me  in  a  dream  of  what  I  should  do. 

James  will  confirm  the  truth  of  this  to  you,  for  I 
am  sure  he  can  never  lose  the  remembrance  of  his 
wonderful  preservation  ;  and  to  him  I  would  say,  that 
I  trust  his  grateful  recollection  of  it  may  be  benefi- 
cial to  him  through  the  whole  course  of  his  life,  and 
when  he  feels  tempted  to  sin  against  God,  let  him 
ask  himself  this  question.  Was  it  to  commit  this 
sin  that  God  withdrew  me  so  miraculously  from  the 
waves  of  the  sea  ? 

I  now  resume  the  thread  of  my  story.  About  the 
time  that  I  was  deprived  of  the  great  comfort  of 
preaching  the  word  of  God  at  Cork,  there  was  an 
act  passed  by  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  for- 
bidding the  exportation  of  manufactured  woollen 
goods  from  Ireland  ;  this  entirely  broke  up  my  man- 
ufactory, for  the  cloths  I  made  were  much  better 


176  A    TALE    OF 

suited  for  exportation  than  for  home  use.  After  the 
injury  I  liad  received  I  never  felt  Cork  an  agreeable 
residence,  and  though  I  remained  some  montlis 
longer,  and  preached  in  English  every  Sunday  at  a 
Presbyterian  church,  yet  I  was  all  the  time  on  the 
look  out  for  any  thing  that  might  turn  up  to  suit  me 
better. 

I  sometimes  thought  of  buying  a  farm  with  the 
money  I  had  acquired,  and  living  upon  it.  While 
in  this  unsettled  state,  I  fell  in  with  a  merchant  from 
Kinsalc,  who  told  me  of  his  having  purchased  fish 
at  Bantry  for  shipment  to  Spain,  upon  which  he  had 
realised  a  large  profit,  and  that  it  had  also  paid  a 
profit  to  the  fishermen  from  whom  he  made  the  pur- 
chase. I  took  a  great  liking  to  this  mode  of  making 
a  living,  being  so  immediately  dependent  upon  the 
good  Providence  of  God  for  guiding  the  nets,  and 
giving  them  success  according  to  his  pleasure,  and 
it  seemed  to  me  to  be  one  of  the  most  innocent  of  ail 
occupations  ;  so,  contrary  to  the  Apostles,  who  from 
fishermen  became  preachers,  I,  from  a  preacher, 
thought  of  turning  fisherman.  I  sold  all  my  manu- 
facturing implements,  quitted  the  employment,  and 
leaving  rny  family  in  Cork,  I  went  on  a  tour  of  ob- 
servation  through  the  fishing  region.  At  Baltimore  I 
made  acquaintance  with  Colonel  Beecher,  who  had 
very  extensive  fisheries,  and  at  Castle  Haven  with 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  177 

Colonel  Townsend  ;  from  the  latter  I  purchased  very 
good  second  hand  tackle  and  boats  all  complete.  I 
ascertained  that  it  was  impossible  to  carry  on  fishing 
with  success  unless  you  had  a  large  farm,  with  many 
tenants  upon  it,  bound  to  fish  only  for  you.  I  went 
to  Bear  Haven,  and  there  hired  a  considerable  farm 
from  Mr.  Boyd  at  £100  per  annum,  another  from 
Mr.  Davis  at  £21  lOs.  and  a  third  at  £18. 

Behold  me  now  making  grand  preparations  for 
being  both  farmer  and  fisherman.  I  bought  a  cargo 
of  salt  to  be  in  readiness,  and  put  part  in  a  cellar  at 
Bantry,  and  part  at  Bear  Haven.  I  did  nothing  but 
spend  money  this  season,  it  being  too  late  for  the 
fishery  when  I  began,  but  I  was  full  of  hope  for  the 
next. 

On  my  return  to  Cork,  I  found  that  it  had  pleased 
God  to  withdraw  my  second  son  Aaron  from  this 
life  during  my  absence.  Tliis  was  the  most  severe 
affliction  that  I  had  ever  yet  experienced.  The  loss 
of  property  had  never  made  much  impression  upon 
me,  but  to  be  deprived  of  this  dear  child  was  a  severe 
stroke.  He  had  been  an  invalid  for  a  long  time,  his 
complaint  was  consumption,  and  his  sufferings  were 
at  times  very  great  from  violent  pain  in  his  chest. 
He  evinced  the  most  entire  resignation  to  the  will  of 
God,  and  with  a  firmness  beyond  his  years  tried  to 
console  his  mother,  who  was  shedding  tears  by  his 


178  A    TALE    OF 

bcd-sidc,  with  the  hope  he  entertained  that  through 
the  merits  of  his  Saviour  he  would  be  received  into 
everlasting  happiness. 

This  grievous  affliction  made  Cork  still  more  un- 
pleasant to  us,  so  we  determined  to  remove  to  Bear 
Haven,  where  I  had  rented  the  farms  for  the  fishery. 
I  went  into  partnership  in  this  new  undertaking  with 
my  cousin  John  Arnauld,  and  Messrs.  Renue, 
Thomas,  and  Gourbould,  all  merchants  in  London. 
They  were  to  have  one  half,  and  I  the  other.  I  put 
down  to  them  at  cost  price  half  of  the  Robert,  a  ves 
sel  of  about  40  tons  that  I  had  owned  some  time,  and 
half  the  price  of  the  tackle,  boats,  and  salt  that  I  had 
purchased.  They  bought  in  London,  on  joint  ac- 
count with  me,  two  other  vessels  of  about  50  tons 
each,  the  Goodwill  and  the  Judith.  They  sent  the 
Goodwill  to  me  with  nets,  cordage,  and  every  thing 
necessarj'  to  make  two  more  tackles,  and  the  Judith 
went  to  France  to  bring  a  cargo  of  salt.  As  we  in- 
tended to  salt  the  fish  ourselves,  I  built  a  house  for 
the  purpose,  with  stone  walls  and  a  slated  roof,  and 
floors  suitable,  and  cellars  to  store  tlie  salt  in,  and 
presses  to  press  the  fish.  I  also  built  more  boats, 
and  got  the  tackle  all  ready ;  and  so  now,  in  the 
year  1700  we  were  only  waiting  for  God  to  send  us 
the  fish,  and  we  were  fully  prepared  to  turn  them  to 
the  best  advantage. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  179 

At  first  I  had  only  my  oldest  son  James  with  me, 
but  as  soon  as  these  preparations  were  completed,  I 
sent  him  to  fetch  his  mother  and  the  children  from 
Cork.  I  had  while  there  sold  the  remainder  of  my 
lease  and  the  improvements  I  had  made  in  the  house 
for  £100.  My  wife  gave  it  up  as  soon  as  James  ar- 
rived, and  every  thing  was  packed,  and  the  whole 
family  came  round  with  the  goods  and  chattels  in 
the  Robert  to  Bantry,  and  thence  to  Bear  Haven. 
The  first  year  and  a  half  we  lived  in  a  mere  cottage 
thatched  with  straw,  and  we  owe  it  to  the  good  pro- 
vidence  of  God,  that  while  we  were  so  much  exposed 
we  never  suffered  from  the  *tories,  (or  robbers,)  of 
whom  there  were  great  numbers  in  these  parts. 

Having  no  immediate  use  for  the  Robert,  we  char- 

*  The  word  tory  having  been  long  known  only  as  a  cant 
term  applied  to  a  particular  political  party,  it  may  not  be 
amiss  to  remark  that  it  is  here  used  according  to  i*s  original 
signification.  It  is  derived  from  the  Irish  word  toruighim, 
(to  pursue  for  purposes  of  violence,)  and  in  the  days  of  queen 
Elizabeth  we  discover  it  first  used  to  signify  the  lawless  ban- 
ditti who  were  so  troublesome  in  Ireland  during  her  reign. 
In  England,  we  find  it  applied  for  the  first  time  by  the  oppo- 
nents of  Charles  I.  to  the  follov/ers  of  thatimfortimate  prince, 
under  an  idea  that  he  favored  the  Irish  rebels  ;  and  by  an 
easy  transition  it  became  the  distinctive  appellation  of  that 
party  who  wished  for  the  greatest  extension  of  the  royal  pre. 
rogative. 


180  A    TALE    OF 

lered  her  to  a  merchant  in  Cork  to  go  to  Spain,  and 
the  Captain,  James  Joy  an  Irishman,  was  to  lay  out 
the  freiglit  money  as  soon  as  he  received  it  in  Salt, 
Oranges  and  Citrons ;  this  he  did,  but  instead  of  re- 
turning to  Cork  with  the  cargo,  he  ran  tlie  vessel 
ashore  on  the  French  coast,  scuttled  her,  and  sold  the 
wreck  with  whatever  was  saved  from  it  to  a  French 
merchant,  and  he  remained  in  France  to  enjoy  his  ill 
gotten  wealth.  Here  was  an  end  of  the  ketch  Robert 
80  far  as  we  were  concerned  ;  but  the  person  who 
had  bought  her  as  a  wreck  had  her  repaired  for  lit- 
tle more  than  a  crown,  and  she  has  since  been  con- 
stantly employed  on  the  French  coast  in  trading 
voyages. 

In  the  month  of  May  1700,  we  first  began  to  fish 
for  cod  oflT  the  Island  of  Durzey,  but  the  weather 
was  unfavourable,  the  wind  high,  and  the  sea  rough; 
and  after  being  at  great  expense  we  had  to  return 
with  scarcely  any  fish.  We  tried  to  take  salmon, 
and  though  our  expense  was  small,  our  gains  were 
still  smaller. 

In  July  we  mustered  our  whole  force  to  take  her- 
rings ;  three  tackles,  six  boats,  and  forty-five  men, 
at  an  incredible  expense  ;  nevertheless,  if  the  fish  had 
been  as  abundant  as  was  usual  at  this  season  of  the 
year,  our  profit  would  have  been  considerable.  Very 
few  fish  appeared,  but  we  were  obliged  to  continue 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  181 

a  heavy  expenditure,  for  perhaps  the  fish  might  come 
at  the  very  time  when  we,  for  economy  sake,  had 
given  up  waiting  for  them,  and  a  single  draught  in  a 
large  shoal  of  herring  might  pay  all  the  expense  of 
one,  two,  or  even  three  years.  Of  course  the  men 
received  the  same  wages  whether  they  caught  fish 
or  not. 

The  season  passing  away  so  unsuccessfully,  we 
thought  it  unnecessary  to  keep  both  our  vessels 
waiting  for  fish,  and  we  sent  the  Judith  on  a  trading 
voyage  to  Spain.  While  the  Goodwill  was  waiting 
for  fish,  we  added  another  deck  to  her  for  the  conve- 
nience of  keeping  Tobacco  dry  in  case  she  should  go 
to  Virginia.  This  was  an  expense  of  £80,  and 
made  the  vessel  look  clumsy,  but  she  sailed  very  well. 
Finding  that  I  had  not  fish  enough  to  load  her,  I  pro- 
ceeded,  by  the  direction  of  my  partners  in  London, 
to  make  up  the  remainder  of  her  cargo  of  beef,  but- 
ter, cheese,  candles  &c.,  altogether  including  the 
Fish,  worth  £450.  They  recommended  that  she 
should  go  to  Madeira  first,  to  dispose  of  this  cargo, 
and  invest  the  proceeds  in  wine  ;  then  to  Barbadoes, 
to  sell  the  wine,  and  take  in  sugar,  rum,  and  mo- 
lasses, and  proceed  with  these  to  Virginia,  and  there 
take  in  a  cargo  of  Tobacco. 

At  Madeira  every  thing  sold  undei  its  cost,  owing 

to  the  number  of  vessels  already  arrived  laden  with 

16 


182  A    TALE    OP 

provisions  ;  and  the  same  bad  fortune  followed  them 
to  Barbadoes  ;  wine  was  abundant,  and  the  losses 
were  so  great  by  these  two  transactions,  that  after 
paying  the  seamen's  wages  they  were  only  able  to  take 
about  £130  worth  of  sugar  <SlC.,  and  when  they  got 
to  Virginia,  they  still  found  so  many  vessels  before 
them  that  the  produce  they   had  on  board  was  at  a 
very  low  price  ;  and  tobacco  being  much  in  demand, 
they  were  afraid  they  should  have  to  return  without 
any  cargo.     The  Pilot,  one  Perry,  seeing  the  un- 
pleasant  situation  of  the  Captain,  told  him  of  a  river 
named,  I  think,  Ptoxon*  which  ran  80  leagues  into 
the  interior  of  the  country,  and  that  if  he  approved 
of  it  he  would  take  the  vessel  tlicre.     The  Captain 
a^rreed  to  make  the  attempt,  coming  to  the  conclusion 
that  he  might  almost  as  well  return  without  the  ves- 
sel as  without  a  cargo.     When  they  arrived  at  the 
port,  the  Captain  had  every  thing  his  own  way,  for 
no  vessel  had  been  there  for   more  than  six  months, 
and   there  was  not  a  pound  of  sugar,  or   a  drop  of 
rum   or  molasses  in  the  place,  and  he  managed  so 
well  that  he  got  in  exchange  tobacco  enough  to  fill 
everv  nart  of  the  vessel,  even  to  the  cabin,  and  the 
sailors  had  it  crammed  in  their  beds.     She  arrived 
at  Bear  Haven  in  August  1701,  and  I  had  met  with 

•  No  doubt  the  Patuxent. 


THE    HUGUE^-OTS.  183 

ample  success  in  fishing  so  that  I  had  a  cargo  all  ready 
for  her,  and  I  wrote  to  my  partners  in  London,  whi- 
ther she  went  to  discharge  her  Tobacco,  to  request 
that  she  might  be  sent  back  to  me  directly. 

I  have  not  mentioned  that  we  had  another  son  born 
before  we  left  Cork  ;  and  on  the  3d.  August  1701  my 
wife  was  brought  to  bed  of  our  youngest  child  Eliza- 
beth. On  that  day  we  were  particularly  successful 
in  fishing,  and  our  slated  house  not  being  yet  finished, 
we  were  living  at  one  end  of  the  herring  house,  which 
was  so  full  with  the  immense  quantity  taken,  that 
every  place  was  piled  up,  even  to  the  door  of  the 
chamber  in  which  my  wife  was  confined. 

We  cured  this  year  more  than  two  hundred  thou- 
sand herrings,  we  pressed  enough  to  fill  two  hundred 
hogsheads,  and  we  put  up  two  hundred  barrels  of 
pickled  herrings.  Besides  this,  we  had  twelve  tierces 
of  salmon,  seven  or  eight  hundred  dried  cod  fish,  and 
two  thousand  dried  flukes,  altogether  worth  about 
£1,200.  Every  day  I  expected  the  Goodwill  to  ar- 
rive ;  I  wrote,  and  wrote  to  my  partners,  to  make 
haste  and  send  her  that  our  fish  might  be  the  first 
cargo  in  the  market  at  Leghorn.  While  I  was  in 
this  state  of  suspense,  I  sent  a  small  quantity  by  a 
vessel  loading  at  Bear  Haven  for  Leghorn,  and  valu- 
ing the  whole  stock  at  the  price  I  obtained  for  those 
I  sent,  which  were  a  few  of  each  kind,  it  would  have 


184  ▲    TALE    OP 

been  worth  £1,500,  if  the  Goodwill  had  only  return- 
ed according  to  promise. 

It  turned  out  that  my  partners  owned  a  large  quan- 
tity of  wine  in  Spain,  and  tliey  were  alarmed  by 
rumours  of  war ;  and  in  such  an  event  they  would 
have  lost  all  their  wine  if  it  remained  in  Spain,  and 
on  the  other  hand  if  brought  to  England  the  prospect 
of  war  would  be  sure  to  raise  its  price  ;  this  was  a 
large  concern,  the  fishery  was  a  small  one  to  them, 
though  a  very  large  one  to  me  ;  and  they  retained 
the  Goodwill,  sending  her  to  and  fro  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible, to  bring  all  their  wine  before  war  was  declared. 

At  last  they  wrote  to  me  to  sell  the  fish  at  Cork, 
J.18  they  could  not  send  the  Goodwill  ;  I  went  there 
and  finding  no  purchaser,  I  wrote  aguin  to  beg  they 
would  send  me  a  ship.  Time  was  flying  rapidly  ; 
the  fish  which  ought  to  have  been  shipped  long  ago 
were  still  on  hand.  Finally  these  gentlemen  bought 
an  old  vessel  of  120  tons  from  Mr.  Renue  ;  she  want- 
ed repairs,  and  did  not  reach  Bear  Haven  till  Janu- 
ary  170*2.  I  loaded  her  in  a  very  few  days  ;  and  on 
the  5th.  Feb.  she  set  sail,  but  got  no  farther  than 
the  mouth  of  the  harbour  before  she  sprung  a  leak, 
and  most  of  the  sailors  ran  away.  I  hired  some 
Irishmen,  as  soon  as  I  heard  of  it,  to  run  after  the 
sailors  and  bring  them  back,  and  with  much  difiicul* 
ty  and  many  smooth  words  I  got  them  on  board  again ; 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  185 

the  leak  was  stopped,  and  she  proceeded  on  her  voy- 
age, from  which  I  never  received  a  single  farthing  ; 
the  account  rendered  was  that  the  proceeds  of  the 
fish  went  no  farther  than  to  pay  the  charges  of  vari- 
ous  kinds.  Though  I  did  not  expect  much  from 
them,  yet  I  never  could  believe  that  the  loss  was  to- 
tal, without  dishonesty  somewhere. 

Thus  God,  to  whose  blessed  will  we  must  submit, 
in  his  infinite  and  unsearchable  wisdom,  saw  fit  to 
deprive  us  of  all  advantage  from  this  most  abundant 
season — all — all  was  lost,  we  were  not  worthy    of 

it. 

My  London  partners,  having  sustained  such  heavy 
losses  by  the  fishery,  wrote  to  me  that  they  would 
have  nothing  more  to  do  with  it,  though  the  agreement 
was  for  three  years,  and  this  was  but  the  second. 
The  expenses  attendant  upon  building  the  cellars, 
herring  house,  and  presses,  as  well  as  the  cost  of  the 
boats  and  tackle  were  charged  to  me  upon  winding 
up  our  accounts  ;  they  allowing  me  something  for 
the  use  of  them  during  the  two  past  years.  I  had 
also  engaged  fishermen  for  the  next  year,  and  it  was 
impossible  for  me  to  draw  back  without  losing  at  least 
£100  more.  I  made  a  full  representation  of  all  these 
circumstances,  pointing  out  to  them  how  hard  it  was 
upon  me  when  they  had  occasioned  the  loss,  by  their 
own  detention  of  the  Goodwill ;    but  it  was   to  no  ' 

16* 


186  A    TALE    OF 

purpose,  there  was  nothing  left  for  me  but  to  con- 
tinue  on  mv  own  account.  The  Goodwill  was  sold 
in  London  for  a  trifle  compared  to  what  she  had  cost. 
I  felt  that  I  was  entirely  ruined,  but  it  was  God's  will, 
and  blessed  be  his  name  for  the  support  of  his  grace, 
whicii  enabled  my  dear  wife,  and  myself  also,  to  sub- 
mit witiiout  murmuring  to  the  chastisement,  and  to 
say  from  our  hearts  "  Thy  will  be  done !" 

Amongst  other  expenses  entailed  upon  me  was  the 
building  of  a  house  with  substantial  stone  walls,  sla- 
ted roof  and  towers  ;  in  fact,  a  sort  of  little  fortifica- 
tion for  defence,  in  case  of  need,  from  the  French 
corsairs,  who  sometimes  made  attacks  upon  the  un- 
protected part  of  the  coast.  This  cost  me  a  great 
deal  of  money,  but  you  will  see  in  the  sequel  that  it 
was  not  thrown  away,  the  good  providence  of  God 
making  it  the  human  means  of  procuring  for  me 
creat  benefit  hereafter. 

My  Irish  neighbours  were  in  the  habit  of  pillaging 
and  cheating  me  in  a  thousand  indirect  ways.  I 
had  brousht  thirteen  destitute  Frenchmen  into  the 
neighbourhood,  who  had  served  in  king  WilUam's 
army,  and  were  discharged,  the  war  being  over,  and 
they  knew  not  where  to  lay  their  heads.  I  gave 
them  land  to  cultivate,  but  whether  it  was  owing  to 
their  ignorance  of  agriculture,  their  habits  of  indo- 
lence engendered  by  a  military  life,  or  the  perpetual 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  187 

injuries  they  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Irish,  I 
know  not,  but  certain  it  is,  they  were  discouraged, 
and  most  of  them  left  me  before  the  end  of  three 
years ;  and  by  them  I  lost  £80,  which  I  had  ad- 
vanced for  their  use. 

When  God  vouchsafes  his  blessing,  every  thing 
prospers,  but  let  him  withdraw  the  light  of  his  coun- 
tenance and  the  best  laid  plans  and  greatest  exer- 
tions result  in  nothing  but  failure.  All  now  seemed 
to  go  wrong  with  us.  There  was  a  court  at  Bear 
Haven  for  the  Barony,  competent  to  decide  in  all 
causes  under  forty  shillings.  I  do  not  believe  that 
there  were  more  than  half  a  dozen  Protestants  in  the 
adjacent  country  besides  my  own  family,  and  those 
I  had  brought  with  me,  so  that  when  I  or  any  of  my 
Protestants  demanded  what  was  due  to  us,  the  matter 
was  invariably  decided  against  us  by  a  jury  of  Pa- 
pists, for  Protestants  were  never  by  any  chance 
summoned  to  sit  upon  a  jury,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  we  not  only  lost  our  lawful  dues,  but  were 
condemned  to  pay  costs  also.  On  the  other  hand,  if 
the  Irish  took  it  into  their  heads  to  make  any  claim 
upon  us,  how  unfounded  soever  it  might  be,  they 
were  sure  to  recover.  Boyd,  the  judge,  was  a  very 
great  rogue,  and  Dwyer,  the  attorney,  was  no  better. 
After  some  little  experience  I  put  an  end  to  this  sys- 


188  A    TALE    OF 

tcm  of  cheatcry  and  false  swearing,  by  appealing 
from  the  decision  of  the  Barony  to  the  county  as- 
sizes. I  may  say  witli  truth,  that  I  was  the  only 
person  in  the  wliole  Barony,  who  could  be  said  to  be 
really  and  truly  in  the  Protestant  interest,  for  the 
few  Protestants  who  had  lived  there  any  length  of 
time  seemed  to  have  caught  the  infection,  and  to  have 
become  as  great  rascals  as  the  Irish  Papists  them- 
selves. 

I  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  in  that  capacity 
I  exerted  myself  to  the  utmost  to  break  up  the  inter- 
course subsisting  between  the  Irish  robbers  and  the 
French  privateers,  who  were  the  best  of  friends  on 
every  occasion,  for  the  Irish  always  seemed  to  look 
upon  it  as  a  settled  point  that  the  enemies  of  the 
English  must  be  their  greatest  friends.  It  was  quite 
natunil  that  my  steady  course  of  opposition  should 
draw  upon  me  the  hatred  of  these  people,  and  I  soon 
had  evidence  of  its  being  so,  for  I  received  a  message 
from  one  Skelton,  captain  over  an  organized  band  of 
robbers  in  the  woods,  threatening  me  with  an  attack, 
saying  that  I  might  keep  what  guard  I  pleased,  but 
they  would  manage  to  surprise  me  some  day  or  other, 
and  Ihey  would  be  with  me  before  I  had  time  to  turn 
round.  I  caused  them  to  be  informed  that  if  they 
declared  fox's  war,  I  would  advise  them  to  be  on  their 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  189 

guard  also,  lest  I  should  be  beforehand  and  seize  upon 
some  of  them  first ;  and  it  so  happened  that  about  four 
or  five  months  afterwards  I  did  discover  one  of  them 
hidden  on  my  farm  in  the  cleft  of  a  rock,  and  I  took 
him  prisoner  and  sent  him  to  Cork,  where  he  was 
tried,  condemned  and  executed.  In  tiie  course  of 
twelve  months  this  whole  troop  of  brigands  was  dis- 
persed, they  had  quarrels  amongst  themselves  and 
betrayed  one  another.  This  should  be  noted  down 
as  another  instance  of  God's  superintending  provi- 
dence, in  which  a  threatened  blow  was  warded  off. 
The  animosity  against  me  rather  increased  than 
diminished,  for  the  reason  that  I  persevered  in  send- 
ing to  Cork  for  trial  all  persons  who  were  found  to 
be  in  the  practice  of  communicating  with  the  French 
privateers,  and  the  number  was  generally  from  eight 
to  ten  every  assizes.  The  privateers  sustained  a 
heavy  loss,  or  rather  I  should  say,  lost  the  opportu- 
nity of  making  their  usual  gains,  by  being  deprived 
of  the  means  of  obtaining  the  information  they  were 
in  the  habit  of  receiving,  as  to  what  vessels  were  in 
the  neighbouring  ports,  where  they  were  going,  the 
value  of  their  cargoes,  &;c.  &c.,  which  had  enabled 
many  of  them  to  capture  rich  prizes.  The  Irish 
were  accustomed  to  be  rewarded  for  their  treachery 
by  a  considerable  share  of  the  booty  on  these  occa- 


190  A   TALE    OF 

sions,  and  tlicy  were  of  course  much  enraged,  and  as 
every  effort  they  had  hitherto  tried  to  injure  me  had 
proved  unsuccessful,  they  made  up  their  minds  to  call 
in  a  force  that  would  be  adequate  according  to  all 
human  appearance  to  accomplish  their  grand  desid- 
cratum  of  getting  rid  of  me. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  191 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Attacked  by  a  French  privateer — Defence — Letter  to  the  Duke 
of  Ormond — Ammunition  furnished  by  government — Build 
a  small  fort — ^Visjt  Dublin — London — Obtain  a  pension — 
Copy  of  warrant — Return  home. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  June  1704, 
a  French  privateer  hove  in  sight,  she  floated  gently 
towards  the  house  in  a  perfect  calm,  she  had  on  board 
four  of  my  Irish  neighbours  to  act  as  guides,  in  ad- 
dition to  eighty  men  of  her  own.  She  mounted  ten 
guns.  I  watched  her  progress,  and  thought  the  in- 
tention was  to  bring  her  to  the  south  of  my  house, 
so  that  her  gims  would  bear  directly  upon  the  front 
and  have  full  scope  at  high  water.  I  would  prevent 
this  if  it  were  possible,  and  so  I  mustered  all  the  men 
I  could  find,  exactly  lAventy  in  number,  I  gave  the 
Protestants  muskets,  and  the  Papists  clubs  on  their 
shoulders,  which  made  them  at  a  distance  look  like 
armed  men.  I  ordered  them  to  follow  me  and  do  as 
I  did.  We  went  round  the  little  cove,  stooping  very 
low  as  if  we  wished  to  hide  ourselves,  though  in  re- 
ality I  made  choice  of  the  highest  ground  in  order 


10*2  A    TALE    OF 

that  we  might  certainly  be  seen  from  the  privateer. 
I  then  placed  all  the  men  behind  a  large  rock  near 
the  shore,  while  I  stood  alone  on  the  top  of  it,  within 
sight  of  the  vessel ;  I  ordered  them  all  to  appear  on 
one  side  of  the  rock,  as  if  they  were  peeping  out  of 
curiosity,  while  I  was  looking  the  other  way  ;  then  I 
turned,  and  made  angry  gesticulations  as  if  I  were 
finding  fault  and  striking  some  of  them,  and  at  the 
same  time  I  told  them  all  to  show  their  heads  on  the 
other  side  of  the  rock  ;  I  turned  again,  and  appeared 
to  be  very  anxious  that  they  should  conceal  them- 
selves.  The  enemy,  having  seen  (as  they  thought) 
forty  men  behind  the  rock,  did  not  deem  it  expedient 
to  effect  their  landing  at  a  point  so  well  guarded  ;  thus 
my  manoeuvre  produced  exactly  the  effect  I  intended 
it  should,  and  they  turned  about  towards  the  mouth 
of  the  creek  upon  which  my  house  stood  ;  and  there 
they  were  opposite  to  one  corner  of  the  house,  from 
which  point  their  fire  would  be  comparatively  with- 
out effect.  They  dared  not  venture  up  the  creek  for 
fear  of  getting  aground  at  low  water. 

When  I  saw  that  they  had  decided  upon  their  posi- 
tion, I  took  my  men  back  by  a  low  path,  and  this  time 
I  really  made  them  hide  themselves,  so  that  those  in 
the  vessel  could  not  see  one  of  us  returnin":  from  the 
rock.  I  took  the  Protestants  into  the  house  to  assist 
in  our  defence,  and  sent  the  Papists  away.     The  pri- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  193 

vateer  cast  anchor  about  a  long  musket  shot  distant 
from  the  house,  and  the  lieutenant  landed  with  twen- 
ty men.  I  had  seven  men  with  me  in  addition  to  my 
wife  and  children  ;  four  or  five  of  these  were  of  very 
little  use.  I  placed  them  all  at  different  windows..  I 
posted  myself  in  one  of  the  towers  over  the  door,  and 
as  the  Lieutenant  was  advancing  with  every  appear- 
ance of  confidence  in  his  mien,  I  fired  at  him  with 
a  blunderbuss  loaded  with  small  leaden  balls,  one  of 
which  entered  his  neck  above  the  shoulder  blade,  and 
another  his  side.  He  took  aim  at  me  before  he  fell, 
but  his  fire  went  too  high.  While  I  was  gone  to  fetch 
another  loaded  piece  from  the  next  room,  his  men 
took  him  up,  crossed  the  ditch,  and  carried  him  back 
to  the  ship. 

The  Captain,  furious  at  such  unexpected  resistance 
from  a  minister,  sent  twenty  more  men  ashore,  with 
another  commander,  and  two  small  cannon  ;  these 
they  placed  under  cover  of  the  rocks  and  hedges,  and 
cannonaded  the  house  from  the  north,  while  the  guns 
on  board  the  vessel  fired  upon  us  from  the  south  east. 
I  must  acknowledge  that  being  unaccustomed  to  this 
sort  of  music,  I  felt  some  little  tremors  of  fear  when 
the  first  cannon  ball  struck  the  house,  but  I  instant- 
ly humbled  myself  internally  before  my  Maker,  and 
having  committed  myself  both  soul  and  body  to  his 
keeping,  my  courage  revived,  and  I  suffered  no  more 

17 


194  '  A    TALE    OF 

from  fear.  I  put  my  head  out  of  the  window  to  see 
what  effect  the  ball  had  produced  on  our  stone  wall, 
and  Y/hen  I  perceived  it  had  only  made  a  slight 
scratch,  I  cried  out  with  joy.  "  Courage!  my  dear 
children,  their  cannon  balls  have  no  more  effect  on 
our  stone  walls  than  if  they  were  so  many  apples !" 

An  officer  was  then  in  mv  house,  with  whom  I  had 
been  conversing  the  evening  before  on  what  would 
be  my  prospect  of  success,  if  I  were  to  defend  myself 
on  such  an  occasion  as  the  present  ;  and  he  thought 
I  should  have  no  chance,  because  he  said  a  cannon 
would  overthrow  my  house  with  as  much  ease  as  if 
it  were  a  castle  of  cards ;  and  this  opinion  of  his  I 
verily  believe  occasioned  me  the  apprehension  of 
which  I  have  just  now  spoken,  but  which  was  only 
perceptible  to  myself  and  my  Heavenly  Father,  who, 
in  answer  to  my  petition,  had  dissipated  my  fears. 

John  Mc  Liney,  a  brave  Scotchman,  who  was  sta- 
tioned  at  a  window  which  overlooked  the  cannon  on 
shore,  having  fired  repeatedly  without  any  apparent 
effect,  at  last  put  a  double  charge  of  powder  into  his 
musket,  and  killed  a  man  who  was  pointing  the  can- 
non. This  obliged  them  to  alter  the  position  of  their 
battery,  and  they  moved  their  cannon  to  the  foot  of 
the  wall,  and  sheltered  themselves  behind  a  rock  about 
thirt}'  paces  from  the  north  east  corner  of  the  house, 
where  every  one  was  protected  from  our  fire  except 


THE    IIUGUEXOTS  195 

the  men  who  reloaded  the  cannons.  The  new  posi- 
tion was  much  more  favourable  for  us,  because  being 
at  one  corner  of  the  house  they  could  not  strike  the 
walls  or  injure  any  thing  but  the  slates  on  the  roof. 
During  the  v/hole  battle  there  were  two  or  three  hun- 
dred Irishmen  collected  on  a  neighbouring  height 
watching  the  conflict,  rejoicing  in  the  anticipation 
of  our  defeat,  and  waiting  impatiently  for  the  moment 
when  they  might  come  down  and  help  to  plunder. 

A  Frenchman  named  Paul  Roussier,  a  brave  man, 
and  a  skilful  soldier,  was  in  the  garret  opposite  to 
the  enemies'  battery,  he  constructed  a  sort  of  rampart 
of  sheep's  fleeces,  then  made  a  hole  through  the  slates, 
and  from  thence  he  fired  without  the  slightest  inter- 
mission ;  a  fresh  loaded  peice  being  handed  to  him 
from  below  directly  after  he  had  fired ;  and  he 
killed  one  of  them.  They  on  their  part  also  kept  up 
a  continual  fire  with  the  cannons  against  the  house, 
and  the  pirates  from  the  vessel  fired  with  small  arras 
upon  our  windows,  which  we  had  barricaded  with 
mattrasses  and  large  books. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  action  some  of  our 
muskets  were  a  little  out  of  order.  The  officer  who 
was  loading  for  Paul  Roussier  had  put  in  the  ball  be- 
fore the  powder,  (by  which  you  may  judge  of  his  con- 
fusion) and  seeing  my  wife  enter  the  room,  who  was 
here,  and  there,  and  every  where,  carrying  ammuni- 


196  A    TALE    OF 

tion,  and  giving  encouragement  both  by  her  words 
and  her  manner,  he  went  up  to  her,  and  taking  her 
by  the  hand,  he  said,  "  Alas !  my  dear  lady,  we  are 
undone,  it  would  be  the  height  of  folly  to  attempt  to 
resist  any  longer  when  our  arms  are  in  bad 
order  ;  here  are  no  less  than  three  useless  mus- 
kets."  (Observe  we  had  eighteen  muskets,  two  blun- 
dcrbusses  and  several  pistols.) 

My  wife  replied  with  her  usual  composure,  "  We 
are  in  the  hands  of  the  Almighty,  and  nothing  can 
befall  us  without  his  permission  ;  I  trust  he  will  not 
suffer  us  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  these  wicked  men. 
We  must  not  lose  our  courage,  but  try  if  we  cannot 
repair  what  is  defective." 

She  then  came  to  me  where  I  was  on  duty,  and 
told  me  to  go  into  the  parlour  directly  to  encourage 
the  people,  and  do  away  the  alarm  caused  by  this 
faint-hearted  gentleman.  I  went  immediately  and 
examined  the  three  muskets  ;  one  wanted  a  flint,  an- 
other had  some  dirt  in  the  touch  hole,  and  the  third 
had  two  cartridges  in  it,  one  on  the  top  of  the  other  and 
a  ball  below  both,  next  to  the  touch  hole.  I  laughed 
at  him  a  little,  and  from  that  time  there  was  no  fur- 
ther complaint  of  arms  being  out  of  order.  My  wife 
was  so  entirely  free  from  fear,  that  when  she  went  to 
fetch  a  needle  for  me  to  broach  tbe  muskets  from  a 
place  where  the  balls  were  coming  in  at  the  window 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  197 

like  hail,  she  did  think  of  stooping  until  I  called  out 
to  her  so  to  do.  The  children  were  a  good  deal 
alarmed  when  the  balls  struck  the  roof  and  made  the 
slates  fly,  which  she  perceiving  said  to  them  «  Cour- 
age! my  children,  we  are  in  the  hands  of  God,  and  it 
is  not  fear  that  will  insure  our  safety ;  on  the  con- 
trary, God  will  bless  our  courage.  If  you  cannot  fire 
yourselves,  you  can  load  the  muskets  for  your  father 
and  others  who  are  older  and  stronger  than  you  are  ; 
drive  away  all  fear  if  you  can,  and  leave  the  care  of 
your  persons  to  God." 

This  address  of  hers  to  the  children  had  a  great 
effect  upon  the  older  persons  present,  and  seemed  to 
inspire  them  with  new  courage  and  confidence.    Ere 
long  however  we  had  serious  cause  for  anxiety,  our 
powder  was  becoming  so  scarce  that  we  felt  as  if  we 
ought  to  be  sparing  in  the  use  of  it.     We  were  in 
great  perplexity ;  if  we  did  not  continue  the  same 
fire  we  thought  the  enemy  would  perceive  the  differ, 
once  and  attack  with  fresh  vigor,  and  to  go  on  at  the 
rate  we  were  using  it,  we  had  not  more  than  enough 
for  three  hours ;  we  had  only  had  twelve  pounds  at 
the   outset.     « Great  God  !  it    was  then  that  thou 
discouraged  our  enemies  and  showed  us  their  backs. " 
Claude  Bonnet,  a  French  soldier,  seeing  one  of  them 
run  away,  went  forward  to  take  aim  at  him,  and  just 
at  that  mom.ent  a  ball  from  the  enemy  struck  against 

17* 


199  A    TALE    OF 

the  house,  rebounded,  and  entered  the  fleshy  part  of 
of  his  arm  without  touching  the  bone.  This  showed 
us  that  if  we  had  been  spared,  it  was  to  God  tliat  we 
owed  it,  and  to  him  we  should  return  our  thanks. 
My  dear  wife  was  the  surgeon,  she  had  him  laid  upon 
a  bed  without  any  noise,  and  appHed  the  first  dressing 
to  the  wound  with  her  own  hands.  The  battle  lasted 
from  ciffht  o'clock  in  the  morning  till  four  in  the 
afternoon,  and  during  that  whole  time,  there  was  never 
the  least  cessation  in  the  firing  except  for  a  i^ew  min- 
utes when  the  first  man  was  killed.  We  had  no  one 
wounded  but  Claude  Bonnet,  and  one  of  the  children 
from  a  piece  of  slate  striking  against  his  thumb. 
The  enemy  had  three  men  killed  and  seven  wounded, 
as  we  learnt  afterwards  from  the  Irishmen  who  were 
on  board.  When  the  assailants  had  returned  to  the 
vessel,  we  visited  the  stations  they  had  occupied,  and 
found  a  quantity  of  blood  which  they  had  evidently 
tried  to  hide  by  treading  earth  and  leaves  into  the 
ground. 

The  privateer  remained  at  anchor  for  some  time, 
and  we  were  afraid  they  meditated  a  second  attack, 
for  which  we  were  badly  prepared  being  so  near  the 
end  of  our  powder  ;  but  we  determined  if  they  did 
land  again  that  we  would  only  fire  when  we  could 
take  aim.  While  we  were  waiting  the  development 
of  their  plans,  we  took  some  nourishment,  which  waa 


THE    HUGUENOTS. 


199 


much  needed  after  our  fatigues.  I  had  given  each 
one  a  large  glass  of  Sherry  when  we  entered  the 
house  on  our  return  from  the  rock,  first  thing  in  the 
morning  ;  and  after  that,  during  the  whole  action,  I 
did  not  permit  any  one  to  taste  a  drop  of  wine,  or 
spirit,  or  strong  beer. 

We  had  the  satisfaction  in  a  short  time  of  seeing 
them  draw  up  tlieir  anchor  and  sail  away,  and  we 
returned  thanks  to  God  for  our  glorious  deliverance. 
I  immediately  wrote  a  full  account  of  the  affair  to 
Lord  Cox,  then  Lord  Chancellor  of  L'eland,  and  to 
the  Duke  of  Ormond  who  was  Lord  Lieutenant. 

Before  I  mention  the  letter  I  wrote  to  the  Duke, 
I  should  say  that  about  nine  months  previous  to  the 
attack,  he  had  made  a  tour  through  a  great  part  of 
Ireland  accompanied  by  the  Chancellor.  I  went, 
with  Mr.  Davis,  one  of  my  landlords,  to  Kinsale  for 
the  purpose  of  paying  our  respects  to  them,  and  be- 
fore the  interview,  it  had  been  agreed  between  Mr. 
Davis,  the  Chancellor,  and  myself  that  if  there  was 
an  opening  I  should  say  something  in  favor  of  build- 
ing a  fort  in  our  neighbourhood,  and  they  v/ould  sup- 
port me  in  it,  being  fully  as  anxious  as  I  was  to  have 
one  erected.  The  Chancellor  presented  us  both  to 
his  Grace  as  justices  of  the  peace  who  did  our  duty. 

The  Duke  conversed  for  a  few  minutes  with  Mr. 
Davis,  but  when  he  found  that  I  was  a  French  Hefu- 


200  A    TALE    OF 

gee  minister,  he  addressed  himself  more  particularly 
to  me,  speaking  in  French.  He  asked  me  how  long 
I  had  lived  in  this  barbarous  part  of  the  country, 
what  flock  I  had,  &c.,  to  all  which  I  replied ;  and 
he  then  enquired  what  was  the  chief  produce,  and 
how  we  managed  matters  in  this  quarter.  I  said 
much  in  favor  of  our  harbor,  dwelt  on  its  convenien- 
ces, and  then  I  told  him  of  the  iniquitous  practices 
of  the  French  privateers,  and  I  thought  the  door  was 
now  open  for  me  to  suggest  our  plan,  and  I  added  that 
if  government  would  but  erect  a  fort  there,  it  would 
be  a  great  place  for  the  settlement  of  French  Refu- 
gees, and  would  also  prove  a  safeguard  to  the  com- 
merce of  the  whole  kingdom. 

The  other  gentlemen  were  preparing  according  to 
agreement  to  support  what  I  had  said  with  various 
arcuments,  when  the  Duke  rather  wittily  cut  short 
our  discourse  by  saying  "  Pray  to  God  for  us,  and 
we  will  take  care  to  defend  you." 

This  answer  was  so  much  to  the  purpose  that  I 
had  not  another  word  to  say,  though  I  was  a  good 
deal  annoyed  by  the  tittering  of  some  of  the  Duke's 
friends  who  were  present. 

I  thought  the  time  had  now  arrived  when  I  should 
be  justified  in  reproaching  his  Grace  with  breach  of 
promise.     And  immediately  after  the  battle,  before 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  201 

the  sun  had  set,  on  that  very  evening,  I  wrote  him  a 
letter,  beginning  as  follows  : — 

"  Since  I  had  the  honor  of  paying  my  respects  to 
your  Grace  at  Kinsale,  I  have  not  failed  to  pray  for 
you  daily  in  conformity  with  your  request,  but  you 
must  allow  me  to  complain  that  your  Grace  has  not 
been  equally  true  to  the  promise  you  then  made  of 
defending  me,  for  without  your  aid  I  have  had  to  de- 
fend myself  from  the  attack  of  a  French  corsair," 
&c.  &c.  I  then  gave  him  the  particulars  of  the 
engagement  and  our  glorious  victory. 

I  enclosed  this  letter  unsealed  to  my  cousin  Ar- 
nauld  in  London,  and  desired  him,  after  reading,  to 
seal  and  deliver  it.  He  had  some  hesitation  about 
deUvering  it  because  he  thought  it  too  bold,  neverthe- 
less he  did  seal  it,  and  went  to  the  Duke's  hotel  and 
left  it  with  the  first  servant  he  saw,  without  waiting 
for  any  answer,  or  even  ascertaining  that  it  reached 
its  destination.  The  good  and  generous  Duke  was 
delighted,  seeing  that  its  boldness  was  justified  by 
the  defence  we  had  made,  and  he  enquired  immedi- 
ately  for  the  person  who  had  brought  it,  and  as  he 
was  not  forthcoming,  he  requested  Colonel  Boisron, 
who  happened  to  be  with  him,  to  write  an  answer, 
telling  me  how  much  he  was  charmed  with  my  con- 
duct,  and  also  with  my  manner  of  relating  it  to  him, 
and  that  if  it  should  ever  be  in  his  power  to  serve  me, 


202  A    TALE    OF 

he  would  take  great  pleasure  in  doing  so.  In  the 
mean  time  my  name  and  my  wife's  also,  became 
known  by  means  of  the  newspapers,  throughout  all 

Europe. 

I  received  a  letter  from  Government,  dated  10th 
June,  1704,  complimenting  me  on  my  defence,  con- 
gratulating me  on  its  happy  result,  and  adding  that 
they  had  taken  care  I  should  be  better  prepared  in 
case  of  another  attack,  for  they  had  issued  an  order 
to  the  keeper  of  the  magazine  at  Kinsale  (without  my 
asking  for  it)  to  deliver  to  me  one  barrel  of  gunpow. 
der  and  two  barrels  of  musket  balls.  The  warrant 
was  enclosed  in  the  letter. 

The  four  Irishmen,  who  had  assisted  the  French, 
became  much  alarmed,  and  fearing  I  should  find 
them  out  and  deliver  them  up  to  justice,  determined 
to  be  beforehand  and  came  voluntarily  before  me  to 
make  oath  that  the  French  had  taken  them  by  main 
force.  It  was  from  them  that  we  learnt  the  extent 
of  loss  sustained  by  the  French  ;  they  told  us  that 
after  the  death  of  the  lieutenant,  the  captain  was  fu- 
rious,  being  a  near  relation  of  his  own,  and  swore 
that  if  he  took  me  he  would  roast  me  alive  and  salt 
me. 

After  this  I  determined  to  build  a  kind  of  fortifica- 
tion at  the  back  of  my  house,  to  serve  the  double  pur- 
pose of  protecting  the  lower  floor  from  the  guns  of 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  203 

ships,  and  defending  the  mouth  of  the  creek.  I  bought 
several  six  pounders  which  had  been  fished  up  from 
a  vessel  lost  on  the  coast.  I  had  three  carriages 
made  for  them,  and  I  raised  a  fortification  of  turf 
whose  parapet  was  eighteen  feet  in  thickness,  and  so 
situated  as  to  command  the  entrance  of  the  creek,  and 
cover  the  lower  story  of  my  house  entirely  on  the 
side  next  to  the  creek.  My  Irish  neighbours,  much 
chagrined  at  the  unexpected  issue  of  the  attack,  which 
they  had  felt  certain  was  to  rid  them  of  me  for  ever, 
were  more  and  more  annoyed  to  see  my  preparations 
for  future  defence.  They  tried  to  discourage  and 
alarm  me,  saying  that  perhaps  I  was  not  aware  that 
there  was  an  Act  of  Parliament  which  forbade  any 
person  to  erect  fortifications  or  mount  guns  without 
the  special  permission  of  government.  I  answered 
them  that  I  knew  all  about  it  as  well  as  they  did,  but 
I  had  no  fear  of  disturbance  on  that  head  after  the 
marks  of  friendship  and  esteem  I  had  received  from 
the  government,  and  even  were  it  otherwise,  I  would 
much  rather  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  English  jury 
than  a  French  privateer. 

I  made  an  application  to  government  for  powder 
and  ball  for  my  cannons,  and  they  promptly  furnished 
me  with  five  hundred  cannon  balls  and  four  barrels 
of  powder.  I  did  not  require  any  stronger  proof  of 
their  approbation  of  my  fort. 


•204  A    TALE    OF 

B}'  the  month  of  November  I  had  completed  all  my 
preparations,  and  the  Lord  Lieutenant  having  re> 
turned  to  Dublin,  I  thought  it  might  be  for  my  a "- 
vantage  to  go  there,  and  tell  him  all  that  I  had  done. 
While  at  Bear  Haven,  I  had  from  time  to  time  been 
able  to  render  material  assistance  to  merchant  ves- 
sels in  distress,  and  more  than  once  to  ships  of  war, 
and  I  took  with  me  certificates  of  these  facts. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  Dublin  I  was  received  by  the 
Council  with  the  utmost  kindness,  and  they  at  once 
voted  me  £50  as  a  temporary  assistance  till  some- 
thing better  could  be  done  for  me,  and  they  advised 
me  to  claim  a  pension  for  my  services,  and  recom- 
mended me  ofTicially  for  that  purpase  to  the  Lord 
Lieutenant.  After  a  while  he  ordered  the  Secretary 
of  State  for  Ireland  to  give  me  a  letter  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  Lord  Godolphin,  then  Lord  High  Treasurer 
of  England.  I  went  to  England  with  this  introduc- 
tion in  April  1705,  and  while  I  was  in  London 
urging  my  claim,  the  Duke  of  Ormond  came  there, 
and  was  of  essential  service  to  me  in  obtaining  the 
pension,  and  likewise  treated  me  at  all  times  with 
t\ie  most  uniform  kindness  and  attention. 

The  warrant  for  my  pension  was  presented  to  me 
on  the  17th  October  1705,  and  here  follows  a  copy  of 
the  document. 


the  huguenots.  205 

(copy.) 

"  To  our  right  trusty  and  right  entirely  beloved 
Cousin  and  Counsellor  James  Duke  of  Ormond,  our 
Lieutenant  General  and  General  Governor  of  our 
kingdom  of  Ireland,  and  to  our  Lieutenant  Deputy 
or  other  chief  governor  or  governors  of  that  our  king- 
dom for  the  time  being. 

Anne.  R. 

"  Right  trusty  and  right  entirely  beloved  cousin 
and  Counsellor,  we  greet  you  well.  Whereas  James 
Fontaine,  Clerk,  did  by  his  humble  petition  to  us  pray 
that  we  would  be  graciously  pleased  to  bestow  on  him 
a  pension  of  five  shillings  a  day  on  our  establishment 
of  our  kingdom  of  Ireland,  in  consideration  of  his 
good  services  in  his  defence  against  a  French  Priva- 
teer, and  the  great  charge  he  is  at  in  securing  the 
remote  port  he  lives  in  against  the  insults  of  the 
French,  and  whereas  our  High  Treasurer  of  England 
hath  laid  before  us  a  report  made  by  you  upon  the 
said  petition  wherein  you  certify  that  the  petitioner 
is  settled  in  a  very  remote  port,  in  Bear  Haven,  in 
our  said  kingdom,  which  place  is  very  much  infested 
with  the  privateers,  that  he  hath  built  a  very  strong 
house  with  a  small  sort  of  sod  fort,  on  which  he  hath 
the  permission  of  our  said  government  to  mount  fiv; 

18 


200  THE    HUCrENOTS. 

guns,  that  he  hath  often  been  in  danger  of  bf  ing  at- 
tacked by  the  Privateers,  and  that  by  the  continuance 
of  tlic  said  furt  he  hath  protected  several  merchant 
■hips,  that  there  hath  been  produced  to  you  several 
Tery  ample  certificates  from  the  merchants  of  Dub- 
lin and  of  Cork  of  the  commodioiisness  of  that  place 
for  securing  mercliant  ships,  as  also  from  the  Cap- 
tains of  our  ships  the  Arundel  and  the  Bridgewater, 
and  that  upon  the  whole  you  are  of  opinion  that  the 
said  James  Fontaine  very  well  deserves  our  favour 
and  encouragement,  in  consideration  of  his  said  ser- 
yiccs  and  expenses,  and  in  regard  he  is  a  French 
Refugee,  you  propose  that  a  pension  of  five  shillings 
a  day  may  be  inserted  for  liim  on  the  establishment, 
nnder  the  head  of  French  Pensioner,  to  commence 
from  Michaelmas  1705.  Now,  wc,  liaving  taken  tho 
premises  into  our  Royal  consideration,  are  gracious- 
ly pleased  to  consent  thereunto,  and  accordingly  our 
will  and  pleasure  is,  and  we  do  hereby  direct,  author- 
ise, and  command,  that  you  cause  the  said  pension  or 
allowance  of  five  shillings  a  day  to  Ix;  paid  to  him 
the  said  James  Fontaine,  or  his  assignees  from  Mich- 
aelmas last  1703,  as  aforesaid,  for  maintaining  the 
said  fort  for  the  better  preservation  of  our  subjects 
of  our  said  Kingdom  against  the  insults  of  French 
Privateers,  the  same  to  continue  during  our  pleasure, 
and  to  be  placed  for  him  in  the  list  of  French  Pen- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  207 

sioners  on  the  establisment  of  our  expense  in  our  said 
kingdom,  and  paid  in  like  manner  as  others  the  pen- 
sions within  the  said  Ust  are  or  shall  be  payable. 
And  this  shall  be  as  well  to  you  for  so  doing,  as  to 
our  Lieutenant  deputy  or  other  chief  governor,  or 
governors  of  our  said  kingdom  for  the  time  being, 
and  to  our  Receiver  General,  and  all  others  concerned 
in  making  the  said  payments,  and  allowing  thereof 
upon  account  a  sufficient  warrant,  and  so  bid  you 
very  heartily  farewell." 

"  Given  at  our  Court  at  St.  James,  the  twelfth  day 
of  October,  1705,  in  the  fourth  year  of  our  reign.** 
"  By  her  Majesty's  command." 

"  GODOLPHIN." 

**  Entered  at  the  signet  office  on  the 
llth  day  of  October,  1705.  Geo.  : 
Wooddeson  dep.''^ 

My  inventive  genius  had  now  quite  forsaken  me, 
but  you  sec,  my  dear  children,  that  providence  had 
not.  It  is  the  same  God  who  at  first  called  light  out 
of  darkness  who  frustrated  the  designs  of  our  ene- 
mies, and  turned  to  our  profit  and  honor  that  enter- 
prise by  which  they  had  expected  to  seal  our  ruin. 
If  it  had  not  been  for  their  cruel  attack  we  should 
never  have  become  known  to  those  persons  who  have 
shown  us  so  much  kindness  ;  and  let  us  never  forget 


208  A    TALE    OF 

that  it  is  to  our  Heavenly  Father  wc  owe  all  our  grati- 
tude for  inclining  towards  us  the  heart  of  a  kind  and 
charitable  earthly  Sovereign.  The  signal  failure  of 
our  adversaries'  schemes  reminded  me  of  Samson's 
enicrma  "Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  meat,  and  out 
of  the  strong  came  forth  sweetness." 

I  must  not  omit  to  mention  that  while  I  was  in 
London  I  stayed  the  whole  time  at  tlie  house  of  ray 
Cousin  John  Arnauld  ;  he  treated  me  with  the  great- 
est  hosj)itality  and  kindness,  and  would  never  accept 
of  a  sini^lc  farthing  fur  mv  board,  and  moreover  he 
lent  mc  nearly  JC30  to  further  my  views  in  obtain- 
ing a  pension,  and  that  too  at  a  time  when  he  saw 
little  or  no  chance  of  my  ever  being  in  a  situation 
to  repay  it.  Thanks  be  to  God,  I  h.ive  since  been 
so  successful  in  my  school  that  it  has  enabled  me  to 
return  him  this  money. 

DurinfT  mv  absence  from  home  Privateers  were 
occasionally  seen  hoverinfj  about  the  mouth  of  the 
harbor,  one  only  approached  near  to  the  house,  and 
appeared  to  be  taking  the  same  course  that  had  been 
followed  by  the  vessel  that  attacked  us.  My  wife 
was  verv  prompt  in  having  the  cannons  loaded,  and 
she  had  one  of  them  fired  to  show  that  all  was  in 
readiness  for  defence,  and  when  they  saw  this,  they 
turned  about,  landed  on  Great  Island,  stole  some  cat- 
tie  and  sailed  away. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  209 

After  my  return  we  were  several  times  threatened 
with  a  descent,  but  it  ended  in  nothing  more  than 
giving  us  a  little  fright,  and  making  us  brush  up  our 
arms,  for  when  they  saw  we  were  in  a  state  of  pre- 
paration, they  went  off,  contenting  themselves  with 
stealing  whatever  they  could  lay  their  hands  on. 


210  A   TALE    OP 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Attacked  by  a  second  Privateer — Out  houses  fired — Breach 
in  the  wall — Wounded — Surrender — Carried  away  as  a  pri- 
soner— Expostulate  with  Captain — Ransomed — Peter  left 
as  a  hostage — His  deportment. 

With  a  constant  apprehension  of  attack  before  us 
we  lived  on  the  "  qui  vivc,"  from  the  1st.  June  1704 
until  the  8th.  October  1708,  when  with  all  our  pre- 
cautions we  were  actually  taken  by  surprise. 

A  French  Privateer  entered  the  harbour  during 
the  night  and  anchored  otT  Bear  Haven,  rbout  five 
miles  from  our  house,  and  entirely  out  of  sight. 

At  that  time  a  company  of  soldiers  was  quartered 
among  the  Irish  in  the  Half  Barony,  and  the  Captain 
who  commanded  them  lodged  and  boarded  at  my 
house,  but  unluckily  both  he  and  the  Lieutenant 
happened  then  to  be  absent  at  Bantry,  and  the  En- 
sign was  left  in  command  of  the  company.  He  was 
an  imprudent,  inexperienced  young  man,  entirely 
destitute  of  judgment. 

The  Privateer  hoisted   English  colors   by  way  of 
deception,  and  she  succeeded  to  her  wish,  for  the  En- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  21i 

sign  no  sooner  discovered  her,  than,  concluding  she 
was  a  vessel  just  arrived  from  America,  he  went 
down  with  two  or  three  soldiers  of  his  company,  in 
great  haste  to  he  the  first  on  board  her,  in  order  to 
regale  himself  with  rum  punch,  a  beverage  of  which 
he  was  unhappily  much  too  fond.  He  was  a  prison- 
er from  the  instant  he  set  his  foot  on  board  the  ves- 
sel, but  the  Captain  and  officers  behaved  towards 
him  with  the  greatest  civility.  He  w£ls  a  little  shock- 
ed at  first,  but  they  made  him  so  welcome,  treating 
him  to  the  best  of  wine  and  brandy  that  he  soon  lost 
the  remembrance  of  his  situation,  and  gave  the  Cap- 
tain every  information  he  wanted,  and  it  was  of  a  na- 
ture to  encourage  him  exceedingly,  for  he  told  him 
that  the  soldiers  were  dispersed  throughout  the  coun- 
try and  without  any  commander,  the  Captain  and 
Lieutenant  both  being  absent,  and  that  he  was  sure 
nothing  would  be  easier  than  to  surprise  me,  for  I 
had  r.obody  with  me  but  my  own  family.  Upon  the 
strength  of  this  information  the  Captain  had  three 
boats  prepared  to  go  ashore,  sent  eighty  men  in  them, 
commanded  by  his  two  Lieutenants,  who  were  both 
Irishmen  born  within  the  Barony. 

A  great  proportion  of  the  crew  were  Irishmen, 
and  amongst  them  was  one  Sullivan,  whose  life  I  had 
formerly  saved,  when  he  was  proclaimed  as  a  tory 
and  a  robber,  and  after  he  fled  to  France  I  had  com- 


212  A    TALE    OF 

passion  on  his  unhappy  wife  whom  he  had  left  with 
seven  or  eight  cliilJron,  and  I  allowed  her  to  live  rent 
free  upon  my  farm,  and  fearing  the  family  might 
perish  with  hunger,  I  returned  to  her  a  milch  cow 
and  ten  or  twelve  sheep,  which  I  had  received  from 
Sullivan  himself  for  rent  before  he  went  away.  And 
this  was  the  man  who  came  to  recompense  me  by  act- 
ing as  guide  to  the  party  ;  for  he  knew  better  than 
any  one  else  the  exact  situation  of  my  house  and  every 
thins  belon^inf;  to  it. 

They  quitted  the  ship  at  midnight,  landed  before 
it  was  liglit,  and  commenced  their  march  about  day- 
break, in  perfect  silence  and  stooping  very  low,  in 
order  that  they  might  be  neither  seen  nor  heard. 
An  Irish  servant  who  was  fetching  home  the  cows 
was  the  fii*st  person  to  discover  them,  marching  in 
good  order,  and  only  about  the  distance  of  a  long 
musket  shot  from  the  house.  He  ran  home  as  fast 
as  he  could,  and  cried  out  that  we  were  all  lost,  for  a 
number  of  armed  men  were  in  sight.  We  got  up 
directly  and  I  ordered  every  door  to  be  shut;  but 
there  was  so  much  ijustle  and  confusion  that  they  for- 
got to  close  the  gates  of  the  large  court  in  front,  and 
even  the  house  door  below  the  tower  was  left  open  ; 
this  the  enemy  perceived,  as  we  afterwards  learned, 
but  dared  not  approach,  thinking  it  was  a  feint,  and 
tliat  we  must  have  a  loaded  cannon  within,  ready  to 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  213 

fire  upon  them.  When  the  men  were  near  enough 
to  hear  me  I  hailed  them  through  a  speaking  trum- 
pet, and  told  them  if  they  were  friends  to  stop,  and 
let  us  know  who  they  were  ;  and  if  enemies,  I  ccuied 
upon  them  to  come  forward  and  we  would  receive 
them  with  vigor. 

In  the  mean  time  my  children  were  busily  en- 
gaged loading  our  arms  and  putting  them  in  order, 
and  as  the  men  still  continued  to  advance  I  desired 
my  oldest  son  'to  fire  from  the  garret  window  our 
large  gun  whose  barrel  was  six  feet  in  length  ;  this 
made  them  lower  their  heads  ;  they  then  separated 
into  different  parties,  and  hiding  themselves  by  means 
of  the  hedges  and  ditches  contrived  to  get  round  to 
the  back  of  the  house.  Their  first  act  was  to  set  fire 
to  the  malt  house  which  was  at  the  east,  then  to  straw, 
and  grain,  and  hay  stacks  which  were  at  the  north 
and  east,  and  at  last  to  the  cow  house,  stable,  and 
long  fish  press  which  were  at  the  west  of  my  house. 
These  being  of  very  combustible  materials,  in  less 
than  half  an  hour  we  were  encompassed  with  flames 
on  every  side  but  one,  and  by  reason  of  the  fire  and 
smoke  between  us  and  them,  we  were  unable  to  see 
any  of  our  enemies,  and  our  lungs  were  dreadfully 
oppressed  by  the  smoke  which  found  its  way  in  at 
every  crevice. 

I  ordered  the  servants  to  fill  all  the  tubs  and  buck. 


214  A    TALE    OF 

ets  that  could  be  found  witli  water,  which  fortunately 
for  us  flowed  into  the  kitchen,  and  then  immerse 
sheep-skins  with  the  wool  upon  them,  and  ox-skins, 
of  .rhich  we  had  many  in  the  house,  and  when  tho- 
roughly  soaked  to  cover  the  windows  with  them,  as 
being  the  most  exposed  parts  of  the  house  ;  the  roof 
was  slated  and  so  there  was  little  danger  of  the  fire 
Ix-inc  communicated  to  us  in  that  direction.  My 
dear  wife  superintended  this  department. 

Our  whole  garrison  consisted  of  our  children,  your 
mother  and  myself,  and  four  servants,  two  of  the  lat- 
ter  were  mere  cow-boys,  and  the  other  two  had  never 
seen  a  battle.     We  fired   hap   hazard  as  fast  as  we 
could  load  ;  I  say  so,  because  we  could  actually  see 
nothing  but  fire  and  smoke.     My  great  apprehen- 
sion  was  that  they  might  seize  our  cannon,  and  turn 
them  airainst  ourselves,  and  therefore  I  thought  the 
best  thing  I  could  do  was  to  fire  my  large  blunder- 
buss ever)'  few  minutes  in  the  direction  of  the  can- 
non ;  and  once  after  I  had  fired  I  thought  I  discovered 
that  thcv  had  been  making  an  attempt,  for  there  was 
much  noise  and  confusion,  and  it  was  evident  they 
were  carrvintr  awav  a  wounded  man.     I  could  hear 
them  very  distinctly,  but  I  saw  nothing  ;  however  I 
continued  from  time  to  time  to  fire  in  the  same  direc- 
tion. 

After  a  while  we  perceived  that  the  door  of  which 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  215 

I  have  already  spoken  was  open,  and  I  sent  some  one 
to  shut  it,  and  continued  firing  at  random. 

I  caught  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the  enemy  setting 
fire  to  the  covering  of  the  fish  press,  and  took  de- 
liberate aim  at  him  with  my  blunderbuss  loaded  as 
usual  with  swan  shot,  and  wounded  him  in  several 
places  but  not  seriously. 

While  the  stacks  of  grain  were  burning  and  we 
were  being  suffocated  with  the  smoke,  our  adversa- 
ries raised  a  little  mound  of  turf  and  wood,  and  in- 
trenched themselves  behind  it,  and  they  set  to  work 
with  long  poles  to  detach  the  slates  from  the  roof  of 
the  north-east  tower.  As  soon  as  thev  had  uncovered 
a  portion,  they  attached  burning  straw  to  the  end  of 
their  poles,  and  in  that  way  set  the  roof  on  fire  three 
several  times,  and  we  as  often  extinguished  it  from 
within. 

About  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  making  a  breach  in  the  wall  of  this  same 
north-east  tower,  and  as  we  could  see  them  at  work 
with  iron  bars,  my  children  took  one  of  those  large 
baskets  used  in  the  country  for  peat  to  the  corner  op- 
posite the  hole  that  was  made,  put  a  mattrass  on  the 
top  of  the  basket,  and  kneeling  behind  this  rampart 
they  fired  one  after  the  other  as  fast  as  they  possibly 
could  ;  they  were  hard  at  work  all  the  time  but  did 
not  dare  to  show  their  noses. 


216  A    TALE    OP 

The  enemy  did  not  relax  at  all  in  their  cfTorts  to 
fire  the  roof  with  long  poles  armed  with  fire  brands, 
and  at  last,  the  smoke  subsiding  a  little,  I  hit  upon  a 
position  from  which  I  could  see  to  take  aim  at  their 
hands  as  thev  raised  them  above  the  ::atrcnchment 
to  guide  the  poles,  and  I  fired,  apparently  with  some 
euccess.  Seeing  however  that  they  still  persevered 
I  began  to  think  it  jirobablc  that  I  had  not  put  a  suf- 
ficient charge  in  my  piece,  and  when  I  loaded  it 
again  I  determined  to  use  a  double  quantity  of  pow- 
der.  I  had  no  sooner  put  in  the  charge,  than  I  had 
an  opportunity  of  trying  it,  for  I  saw  a  hand  raised, 
and  I  fired.  The  piece  being  overcharged,  burst, 
and  I  was  thrown  down  witli  great  violence,  three  of 
my  ribs  and  my  right  collar-bone  were  broken,  and 
the  flesh  of  mv  rijjht  hand  was  very  much  torn.  I 
was  60  completely  stunned  that  I  had  no  power  to 
move  or  even  to  breathe  for  some  seconds.  My  wife 
saw  the  fall  and  supposed  I  had  received  a  ball  from 
the  enemy,  she  ran  to  my  assistance,  and  raised  me 
up  without  making  the  slightest  noise.  As  soon  as 
I  was  able  to  speak  I  explained  to  her  that  I  was 
wounded  by  the  bursting  of  my  own  piece.  I  was 
now  completely  "  hors  de  combat,"  but  I  had  already 
done  my  part,  for  during  the  course  of  the  morning 
I  had  fired  five  pounds  of  swan  shot  from  my  now 
disabled  piece.     While  I  was  prostrated,  my  dearest 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  217 

wife  had  an  eye  to  every  thing,  she  went  round  to 
furnish  ammunition  and  to  give  courage  to  aU,  as 
well  by  her  exhortations  as  by  her  example. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  enemy  had  enlarged  the 
breach  until  it  was  from  four  to  five  feet  square ; 
nevertheless,  they  derived  no  advantage  from  it,  my 
sons  kept  up  such  an  Incessant  fire  from  behind  their 
mattrass  rampart.  At  last,  a  grenade  was  thrown 
it  at  the  breach  which  ran  under  the  basket,  explo- 
ded,  and  overturned  the  whole  afiair,  without  (thanks 
be  to  God)  doing  any  harm  except  giving  my  sons 
a  fright  which  made  them  abandon  their  post  for  a 
very  short  time.  One  of  them  ran  to  me,  in  great 
dismay,  to  tell  me  that  the  hole  was  as  large  as  any 
door,  and  that  the  enemy  were  entering  by  it ;  the 
other  boys  were  still  firing  from  the  dormer  win- 
dows. 

I  immediately  rose  from  the  bed,  asked  for  a  pistol 
ready  loaded  and  cocked,  which  I  took  in  my  left 
hand,  the  right  being  useless.  I  called  my  children 
together,  and  said  to  them,  <^I  see,  my  dear  children, 
that  we  must  inevitably  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  number 
of  our  enemies,  but  do  not  let  them  kill  us  like  dogs, 
rather  let  us  sell  our  lives  dearlv  and  die  like  lions  :" 
and  while  I  was  speaking  I  continued  advancing  to- 
wards the  room  into  which  the  breach  was  made. 

A  melancholy  sight  it  was,  but  at  the  same  time  a 

19 


218  A    TALE    OP 

gratifying  one,  to  behold  these  poor  boys,  as  soon  as 
I  had  done  speaking,  re-enter  the  room  and  take  their 
old  position  without  a  word  or  a  gesture  indicative 
of  fear ;  they  replaced  their  basket  and  mattrass  ex- 
posed to  the  fire  of  more  than  ten  muskets.  Blessed 
be  thou  oh  God!  who  preserved  them  untouched 
amid  such  a  shower  of  balls. 

When  they  began  to  fire,  the  enemy  retreated  from 
the  breach,  and  dared  not  raise  their  heads  again,  or 
even  so  much  as  their  hands,  and  thus  their  fire  was 
all  thrown  away  ;  for  by  not  raising  the  butt  ends  of 
their  muskets,  they  carried  too  high  and  went  far 
above  us  every  time.  Seeing  that  we  did  not  give 
way  in  the  least,  they  began  to  tire  of  our  obstinate 
resistance.  It  was  possible  they  might  have  over- 
heard my  address  to  the  children,  added  to  which,  they 
were  under  the  impression  that  we  had  at  least  twenty 
men  from  the  constant  fire  that  was  kept  up  in  every 
direction,  as  well  as  upon  the  main  point  of  attack. 
Tiiey  called  out  to  us  to  surrender  and  we  should 
have  good  quarter. 

I  held  a  consultation  with  my  wife  and  children, 
and  we  determined  at  any  rate  to  listen  to  their  pro- 
posal.  We  ceased  firing,  they  did  the  same,  and  I 
advanced  to  the  breach  to  hold  a  parley  with  them. 
One  of  the  Irish  Lieutenants  came  forward  and  took  » 
aim  at  me,  my  second  son  Peter  saw  him  before  I  did 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  219 

and  immediately  caught  hold  of  me  and  drew  me 
aside,  barely  in  time  to  save  me  from  this  treachery, 
for  the  ball  passed  within  three  inches  of  my  stomach. 

I  was  extremely  indignant  and  cried  out,  "Ah! 
Traitors  !  was  it  then  to  surprise  me  that  you  called 
me  to  parley  with  you  ?  Fire  upon  these  traitors 
my  sons,  fire  ;"  which  the  poor  boys  did  without  loss 
of  time  and  with  all  their  hearts. 

I  had  foolishly  exposed  myself  to  imminent  dan- 
ger, by  placing  confidence  in  the  good  faith  of  an 
enemy  whom  I  might  have  been  sure  was  altogether 
destitute  of  such  a  virtue,  but  a  watchful  and  kind 
providence  interposed  for  my  deliverance. 

We  kept  up  an  incessant  fire  for  another  quarter 
of  an  hour,  and  then  they  called  to  us  again,  and 
made  a  second  offer  of  good  quarter. 

I  reproached  them  with  their  recent  perfidy,  and 
told  them  I  could  not  trust  people  who  had  already 
attempted  to  betray  the  confidence  I  had  reposed  in 
them.  They  then  made  a  threat  that  i^  we  did  not 
surrender  they  would  throw  a  barrel  of  powder  in  the 
breach  and  blow  us  up. 

"  I  have  three  or  four  at  your  service,"  said  I, 
"  and  I  intend  to  scatter  their  contents  over  this  floor 
and  the  inner  hall,  and  whenever  you  are  pleased  to 
approach,  I  will  throw  a  lighted  turf  upon  it  and 


220  A    TALE    OF 

make  yon  danco.     You  may  depend  upon  one  thing 
that  I  will  not  perish  without  you." 

This  desperate  reply  induced  them  to  offer  good 
quarter  once  more. 

I  said,  "  I  do  not  know  what  you  mean  hy  good 
quarter,  but  this  I  know  that  I  am  resolved  not  to 
surrender  unconditionally,  I  would  rather  perish  with 
all  my  family  than  do  so." 

They  then  loft  off  firing  and  called  to  me  to  order 
my  people  to  do  likewise,  so  we  had  a  cessation  of 
hostilities  on  both  sides.  Their  proposition  was  that 
they  should  be  allowed  to  plunder,  to  which  I  con- 
sented, for  with  our  lives  we  must  of  course  lose  our 
goods. 

I  demanded  lif;  and  liberty  for  my:  If  and  all  who 
were  v.ith  me ;  but  as  they  spoke  1  inglish,  I  said, 
"  I  do  not  choose  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  Eng- 
lish  or  Irishmen  in  making  the  treaty.  I  look  upon 
myself  as  a  British  subject,  and  as  such  I  will  only 
treat  with  the  French  who  are  at  war  with  England, 
and  I  request  tlie  French  Commander  will  put  his 
head  to  the  breach,  and  I  assure  him  that  he  may  do 
so  with  perfect  safety,  for  we  have  no  traitors  in 
our  ranlcs." 

Then  came  forward  one  of  those  rascally  Irish 
Lieutenants,  Carty,  alias  La  Touche,  who  was  com- 
mander  of  the  party  and  could  speak  French  as  well 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  221 

as  I  could.  I  told  him  that  as  an  Irishman  I  placed 
no  reliance  upon  him,  and  that  I  would  treat  with 
Iiim  only  as  the  authorised  agent  of  the  French  Cap- 
tain. I  repeated  to  him  in  French  the  terms  of  ca- 
pitulation. Life  and  liberty  guaranteed  to  all  of  us, 
and  strictly  honorable  deportment  on  their  part  while 
in  possession,  and  they  were  to  have  the  plunder. 

They  swore  to  the  observance  of  this  as  French- 
men and  men  of  honor.  After  which,  I  said,  "  I  am 
now  going  to  open  the  door  for  your  admittance,  and 
I  warn  you  beforehand  that  I  will  allow  no  one  to 
enter  by  any  other  way,  and  should  you  attempt  to 
come  in  by  the  breach  T  shall  shoot  you  directly." 

This  was  agreed  to  also,  and  I  had  the  doors  open- 
ed and  ranged  myself,  my  wife,  my  sons,  and  four 
servants  in  regular  order  to  surrender  our  arms  to 
the  commander  as  he  entered. 

"  Thou  knowest.  Oh  God  !  our  preserver  !  and 
none  else  can  know,  what  was  the  state  of  my  feelings 
at  that  moment,  to  see  my  beloved  wife  and  dear 
children  at  the  mercy  of  enemies,  fourteen  of  whom 
we  had  wounded.  Oh  !  what  everlasting  praises  do 
we  owe  to  thee  for  our  preservation.  It  was  thou 
who  restrained  these  bloodthirsty  wretches  from  exe- 
cuting the  vengeance  they  had  sworn  against  us. 
Oh  God !  I  beseech  thee  to  sanctify  the  lives  which 

19* 


^- 


222  A    TALE    OF 

thou  hast  so  miraculously  preserved,  and  assist  us  to 
devote  them  to  thy  service." 

When  the  comman*der  and  a  good  many  of  his  men 
had  entered,  they  looked  anxiously  around  seeing 
only  five  youths  and  four  cow-hcrds,  and  asked  me 
wherc  all  my  people  were,  evidently  suspecting  that 
I  hud  laid  an  ambush. 

"You  need  not  fear  any  thing  dishonorable  from 
me,"  I  said,  "you  see  all  our  garrison." 

"  Impossible  !  "  said  he,  "  these  children  could  not 
possibly  have  kept  up  all  the  firing." 

My  wife  then  spoke,  and  said  "  I  am  in  hopes.  Sir, 
that  the  fact  of  so  few  persons  having  made  so  gal- 
lant  a  defence  will  Ixj  an  inducement  to  you,  whom 
I  trust  we  shall  find  a  man  of  honor,  to  treat  us  with 
the  more  consideration.  Are  you,"  added  she,  "  the 
commander  of  this  party  ?  " 
"  I  am,  Madam,"  said  he. 

She  then  handed  him  her  keys,  and  intreated  him 
to  restrain  his  followers  within  strict  bounds,  which 
he  promised  to  do.  I  told  him,  that  I  had  for- 
gotten to  stipulate  for  my  books,  but  that  as  they 
would  be  altogether  useless  to  them,  I  hoped  he  would 
grant  me  the  indulgence  of  retaining  them  in  my  own 
possession.  He  promised  that  they  should  be  spared, 
and  for  a  time  he  kept  a  guard  at  my  study  door,  but 
soon  after  they  entered  it  and  plundered  there  as  else- 


THE    HUGUENOTS. 


223 


where,  taking  all  the  handsomest  books,  and  leaving 
behind  a  few  that  looked  old  and  were  badly  bound. 
The  house  was  very  completely  furnished,  and  as  we 
had  never  thought  of  a  surrender  until  it  actually 
took  place,  we  had  not  had  time  or  opportunity  to 
secrete  anything.  We  were  stripped  of  every  article 
both  of  furniture  and  clothing  even  to  our  coats,  for 
in  the  heat  of  action  we  had  taken  them  off  to  have 
more  freedom  in  the  use  of  our  arms. 

They  not  only  filled  their  own  three  boats  with  the 
booty,  but  they  took  three  of  mine  and  loaded  them 
also.  When  they  were  ready  to  depart  they  took  me 
and  my  two  oldest  boys  and  two  of  the  servants  with 
them  as  prisoners.  It  was  all  in  vain  for  me  to  re- 
mind them  that  it  was  an  infraction  of  the  treaty  they 
had  made  with  me  previous  to  our  surrender.  Their 
reply  was,  that  my  name  had  made  so  much  noise 
amongst  the  Privateers  at  St.  Maloes  that  they  dar- 
ed  not  return  to  the  vessel  without  me,  the  Captain's 
order  to  them  was  peremptory,  not  to  come  back 
unless  they  had  me  with  them  dead  or  alive.  They 
promised  me  faithfully,  however,  that  as  soon  as  the 
Captain  had  seen  me,  I  should  be  set  at  liberty.  My 
remonstrances  were  of  no  avail,  go  I  must,  and  by 
the  time  I  reached  the  vessel  I  had  become  so  entire- 
ly  powerless  from  the  effect  of  my  wounds  and  frac- 


224  A    TALE    OF 

turcs,  that  they  were  obliged  to  hoist  me  like  a  log ; 
I  could  not  assist  myself  the  least  in  the  world. 

As  soon  as  the  crew  saw  me  alongside,  they  all 
shouted  "  Vive  le  Roi,"  and  repeated  it  three  times  in 
grand  chorus. 

This  roused  me  from  my  pain  and  depression  ;  and 
when  they  ceased  shouting,  I  raised  my  voice  to  its 
highest  pitch,  and  said,  "  Gentlemen,  how  long  it  is 
since  victories  have  been  so  rare  in  France,  that  you 
are  glad  to  avail  yourselves  of  such  an  occasion  as 
the  present  to  sing  in  triumph?  I  am  ashamed,  posi- 
tively ashamed,  of  my  native  country,  to  hear  rejoic- 
ings over  such  a  victory.  A  glorious  achievement 
trul)' !  Eighty  men  all  accustomed  to  warfare  have 
actually  been  so  successful  as  to  compel  one  poor 
Minister,  four  cow-herds,  and  five  children  to  surren- 
der upon  tertns.  And,  furthermore,  Gentlemen  I 
would  have  you  to  know,  that  though  I  do  appear 
bofore  you  as  a  prisoner,  it  is  in  direct  violation  of 
the  treaty  made  with  your  commanding  officer,  and 
sworn  to  by  him  previous  to  our  surrender.  He  can- 
not deny  that  he  has  broken  his  faith,  and  commit- 
ted a  flagrant  offence  against  the  estabhshed  Law  of 
Nations." 

I  was  then  carried  to  the  Captain's  Cabin,  and  I 
renewed  my  complaint,  telling  him  of  the  treaty 
which  his  authorised  agent  had  made  with  me,  and 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  225 

I  added,  "  Sir,  I  assure  you  that  if  I  had  had  the  least 
idea  of  being  carried  off  as  a  prisoner,  so  far  from 
surrendering,  I  would  have  resisted  as  long  as  I  had 
breath  in  my  body.  I  trust,  under  the  circumstances, 
you  will  see  the  justice  of  restoring  me  to  liberty  im- 
mediately." 

He  answered  me  with  much  courtesy  of  manner, 
and  said,  "  I  cannot  tell  you  how  delighted  I  am  to 
have  on  board  my  vessel  a  man  of  such  undaunted 
courage,  and  whose  name  has  made  so  much  noise." 

"  You  may  indeed.  Sir,"  said  I,  "  find  to  your  cost 
that  my  name  is  pretty  well  known  in  England  and 
Ireland.  I  have  received  so  many  marks  of  friend- 
ship from  the  Lords  in  Council  at  the  Irish  seat  of 
government,  that  I  feel  certain  as  soon  as  they  a'e 
aware  of  my  situation,  and  especially  of  the  fact 
that  my  being  made  a  prisoner  at  all  was  contrary 
to  a  sworn  treaty,  they  will  send  instructions  to  Kin- 
sale  to  retaliate  upon  the  French  prisoners  there, 
which  may  probably  bring  you  into  a  little  trouble." 

"What !"  said  he,  "do  you  dare  to  make  use  of 
threats  ?" 

"  No,  no,  I  only  give  you  fair  warning  of  what 
will  most  assuredly  come  to  pass.  This  unjustifiable 
conduct  of  yours  will  be  the  occasion  of  many  an 
honest  man  suffering  hardships,  to  which  the  mere 
circumstance  of  his  being  a  captive  would  not  sub- 


226  A    TALE    OF 

ject  him ;  probably  friends  of  your  own  may  be 
among  the  number  ;  and  nobody  will  give  you  any 
thanks  for  what  you  are  doing." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  he,  "  let  us  drink  a  glass  of 
wine  together  now,  and  discuss  these  matters  in  the 
morning." 

"  I  want  no  wine,"  said  I,  ''  but  I  stand  in  great 
need  of  repose,  and  of  having  my  wounds  dressed." 

The  surgeon  was  thereupon  summoned,  and  he 
applied  some  linen  dipped  in  brandy.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  numl>cr  of  good  beds  they  had  just  brought 
from  my  house,  it  was  with  great  dilficulty  tiiut  I 
oould  obtain  a  very  poor  one  to  lie  down  upon,  and 
a  coarse  sheet  and  coverlid  to  throw  over  me.  I 
was  placed  between  decks  with  the  bed  resting  upon 
some  cordage.  This  was  Saturday  night,  8th  Oct- 
ober, 1709. 

Our  noble  Ensign,  who  ought  to  have  protect- 
ed us,  was  still  on  board,  as  drunk  as  a  hog  ;  he 
was  in  excellent  spirits,  and  on  the  best  of  terms 
with  the  Captain  and  crew,  to  whom  he  was  infinite- 
ly grateful  for  indulging  him  in  his  vicious  propen- 
sity. The  next  day  being  Sunday,  he  was  sent 
ashore  early  in  the  morning  without  having  received 
the  least  injury,  or  being  deprived  of  any  thing  what- 
soever. My  two  sons  and  the  servants  were  sent 
away  at  the  same  time,  and  I  alone  detained.     When 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  227 

the  boat  returned  from  landing  them  the  Captain 
gave  orders  to  raise  the  anchor. 

My  wife  did  not  sit  down  quietly  to  bemoan  and 
lament  over  her  misfortunes,  as  many  would  have 
done  in  her  situation,  but  was  in  action  at  once  to 
endeavour  to  remedy  them.  She  went  early  in  the 
morning  to  the  place  where  the  Papists  said  Mass  to 
see  the  Priest,  and  persuade  him  if  possible  to  go 
after  the  vessel,  and  use  his  influence  to  obtain  my 
libo.ty.  He  positively  refused.  She  dwelt  upon 
the  many  ob.igafions  that  I  had  from  time  to  time 
laid  his  people  under,  and  the  numbers  of  them  I  had 
saved  from  the  gallows  ;  but  it  wae  all  in  vain.  Find- 
ing  persuasion  useless,  she  changed  her  tone  and  had 
recourse  to  threats,  pointing  out  to  him  that  he 
would  inevitably  expose  himself  to  the  resentment  of 
those  in  power,  if  he  persisted  in  refusing  to  assist  a 
man  who  was  so  much  and  so  deservedly  esteemed 
by  the  Lord  Lieutenant,  and  the  Council.  She  suc- 
ceeded no  better  than  before,  and  seeing  the  vessel 
under  sail,  she  determined  to  follow  it  by  land  as  long 
as  she  could. 

The  weather  was  clear,  calm  and  mild.  Our  Cap- 
tain  proceeded  to  the  Island  of  Durzey  and  found  my 
wife  waiting  upon  the  promontory  till  the  vessel  got 
opposite  to  it.  She  made  a  signal  with  her  apron 
tied  to  the  end  of  a  stick,  and  a  boat  was  despatched 


228  A    TALE    OF 

to  licnr  what  slie  had  to  say.  She  had  taken  the  pre- 
caution of  borrowing  a  speaking  trumpet,  and  thus 
she  was  able  to  carry  on  conversation,  from  the  cliff 
on  which  she  was  standing,  with  tliose  who  were  be- 
low in  the  boat.  After  a  great  deal  of  bargaining, 
and  man}-  difficulties  raised,  they  at  last  agreed  to 
set  nic  at  liberty  upon  the  payment  of  £100  sterling. 
AH  this  time  I  w  as  stretched  on  my  pallet  between 
decks,  and  was  in  total  ignorance  of  what  was  going 
forward. 

The  privateer  remained  off  the  Island  of  Durzey 
waiting  for  my  wife's  return  with  the  money,  and 
she  was  gone  to  try  to  borrow  it.  She  was  unable  to 
procure  more  than  £30,  and  the  greater  part  of  this 
sura  I  had  paid  to  Boyd  for  rent  only  five  days  before 
we  were  attacked.  Unable  to  raise  more  she  came 
back  to  the  vessel  accompanied  by  our  second  son 
Peter,  several  of  our  tenants,  and  our  friend  Mr. 
Hutchins  of  Bear  Haven. 

The  Captain  agreed  to  give  me  up  on  condition 
of  his  having  the  £30  she  had  brought  with  her,  and 
retaining  one  of  my  sons  as  a  hostage  for  the  pay- 
ment of  the  remaining  £70.  He  paid  her  many 
compliments  upon  the  courage  she  had  displayed, 
and  told  her  he  looked  upon  her  as  a  second  Judith. 

She  replied,  "  I  should  have  felt  more  honored  if 
you  had  compared  me  to  Deborah  ;  but  I  am  far  from 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  229 

being  surprised  that  you  should  not  be  well  versed  in 
books  that  you  are  prohibited  from  reading." 

My  deliverance  was  accomplished,  but  it  was  upon 
hard  terms,  and  I  felt  melancholy  indeed  at  leaving 
my  poor  dear  boy  in  my  stead. 

When  we  came  away,  that  traitor,  Sullivan,  of 
whom  I  have  already  spoken,  took  me  upon  his 
shoulders,  and  climbed  with  me  up  the  rocks.  He 
had  waited  upon  me  the  whole  time  I  was  on  board 
the  privateer,  for  I  was  literally  as  helpless  as  an  in- 
fant. I  reproached  him  with  his  treachery.  "  How 
could  you  find  in  your  heart,  after  all  that  I  had  done 
for  you  and  yours,  to  act  the  part  of  guide  to  my 
enemies  ?" 

He  tacitly  acknowledged  his  ingratitude,  for  he 
replied,  "  I  have  not  a  word  to  say  in  excuse  for  my 
conduct." 

It  was  late  on  Monday  night,  almost  Tuesday 
morning,  when  I  was  ransomed  by  the  exertions  of 
my  wife  and  the  tenderness  of  my  sons  ;  I  say  sons, 
because,  though  only  one  was  left,  they  were  all 
equally  anxious  to  have  taken  my  place.  James 
could  not  be  spared,  he  was  old  enough  to  look  after 
the  farm  and  take  care  of  the  few  cattle  remaining 
to  us.  Peter,  being  next  in  age,  would  not  hear  of 
any  one  but  himself  being  selected. 

On  the  night  of  Tuesday,  the  eleventh  day  of  Oc- 

20 


230  A   TALE    OF 

tobcr,  I  slept  at  Bear  Haven  at  the  house  of  Mt. 
Ilutciiins,  and  the  next  day  I  went  in  a  boat  to  Ban- 
try,  in  order  to  have  the  requisite  surgical  assistance, 
and  in  going  there  we  passed  near  enough  to  have  a 
view  of  our  now  desolate  mansion. 

My  wite  waited  to  see  me  comlortably  settled  un- 
der the  care  of  a  skilful  French  surgeon,  and  she 
then  went  to  Cork  to  endeavour  to  raise  the  £70  for 
the  payment  of  which  Peter  was  retained  as  a  hos- 
tage. Tiie  Bishop  lent  her  twenty  guineas,  and  she 
could  easily  have  borrowed  the  remainder  from  other 
friends,  but  the  merchants  of  Cork,  upon  hearing  the 
particulars  of  the  affair,  set  their  faces  against  any 
payment  being  made,  and  assured  her  that  our  son 
would  soon  be  lilx;rated  without  it,  and  their  reason- 
inir  seemed  to  her  so  sound  that  she  returned  the 
Bisiiop  what  he  had  kindly  lent  to  her,  and  declined 
borrowing  any  more.  She  also  contrived  to  have  a 
letter  sent  privately  to  Peter,  exhorting  liim  to  keep 
up  his  courage,  and  have  patience,  and  that  she  had 
no  doubt  he  would  soon  be  set  at  liberty  without  ran- 
som, but  advised  him  to  appear  ignorant  of  it. 

The  privateer  hovered  about  the  Island  of  Durzey 
for  a  long  time,  waiting  for  the  money.  Peter  con- 
ducted himself  remarkably  well  on  board  the  ship, 
and  evinced  mucJi  more  both  of  prudence  and  cou- 
rage than  might  have  been  expected  from  so  young 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  231 

a  lad.  The  steadiness  of  his  deportment  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  Captain,  and  he  placed  so  much 
confidence  in  him  as  to  give  into  his  charge  the  key 
of  the  Hquors,  and  this  caused  the  whole  crew  to  pay 
court  to  him. 

While  he  was  in  the  privateer  she  was  one  day 
chased  by  a  British  man  of  war  ;  it  was  proposed  to 
him  to  hide  himself  in  the  hold,  which  he  declined  ; 
a  musket  was  then  offered  to  him  that  he  might  as- 
sist in  the  defence,  but  he  said,  "  No,  I  would  rather 
fight  for  the  English  than  against  them,  for  I  regard 
them  as  my  friends  and  countrymen." 

The  English  vessel  was  inferior  in  point  of  sailing 
and  thus  they  escaped  from  her. 

The  Captain  had  a  son  with  him  about  Peter's 
age,  a  vain,  disagreeable  boy,  much  disliked  by  the 
officers  of  the  ship  ;  he  came  to  Peter  one  day,  be- 
ing intoxicated  at  the  time,  and  with  a  drawn  sword 
in  tiis  hand  threatened  to  kill  him.  Peter  seized  a 
sword  to  defend  himself,  and  succeeded  in  disarming 
the  drunken  boy,  and  lowering  his  importance,  much 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  bystanders. 

When  they  reached  St.  Maloes,  the  Governor  of 
Brest  condemned  the  Captain  very  much  for  his 
misconduct  in  bringing  a  hostage  away  with  him,  in 
direct  contravention  of  the  Law  of  Nations,  and  he 


232  A    TALE    OF 

would  not  sulTer  Pcler  to  be  landed  and  placed  with 
the  other  prisoners. 

The  poor  Captain  was  sadly  perplexed,  and  nothing 
would  have  pleased  him  so  much  as  Peter  running 
away,  and  thus  getting  him  out  of  his  dilemma,  and 
he  had  it  hinted  to  him  that  he  was  a  great  fool  not 
to  nifike  his  escape ;  but  after  the  letter  he  had  re- 
ceived from  his  mother,  he  very  properly  considered 
that  it  would  i^c  an  act  of  f^reat  folly  to  leave  the  ves- 
scl  in  a  foreign  country,  when  he  had  every  reason 
to  expect  that  he  would  be  taken  home  again.  After 
remaining  a  while  at  St.  Maloes,  the  vessel  went  out 
on  another  cruise,  Peter  still  in  her. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  238 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Affidavit  before  magistrates — Retaliation  on  French  prison- 
ers— Removal  to  Dublin — Hire  a  haunted  house — Claim 
compensation  from  the  county  of  Cork — Disturbance  in 
haunted  house — School — Education  of  children — Peter 
goes  to  college — ^John  obtains  a  commission  in  the  ar  ny — 
Moses  and  Francis  enter  college — Moses  studies  law — Emi- 
gration to  America — Marriage  of  children — My  wife's 
death — Failure  of  health — Conclusion. 

Leaving  Peter  on  his  cruise,  I  will  return  to  myself. 
As  soon  as  I  was  well  enough  to  get  on  horseback, 
I  rode  over  to  Kinsale  with  my  son  James,  and  two 
of  the  servants,  and  waited  upon  the  chief  magis- 
trate to  make  an  affidavit  before  him,  to  the  effect 
that  after  capitulating  upon  terms,  with  the  express 
stipulation  that  we  should  have  life  and  liberty,  I  had 
been  forcibly  carried  away  as  a  prisoner,  and  had 
only  been  released  on  the  payment  of  £30,  and  leav- 
ing one  of  my  sons  as  a  hostage  for  the  payment  of 
other  £70. 

The  governor  or  commanding  officer  at  Kinsale 
as  a  retaliatory  measure  immediately  put  all  the 
French  officers  in  irons  who  had  been  taken  in  the 

20* 


234  A    TALE    OF 

war  and  were  stationed  there,  and  he  sent  a  copy  of 
the  affidavit  to  Plymouth  where  there  were  numhers 
of  French  prisoners,  and  all  of  them  were  also  put  in 
irons.  You  will  readily  believe  that  the  letters  of 
complaint  from  Kinsalc  and  Plymouth  were  very 
numerous. 

By  the  time  the  Captain  returned  to  St.  Maloes  a 
second  time,  public  feeling  was  much  excited  against 
him,  and  he  was  summoned  to  appear  before  the 
Governor  of  Brest  who  wished  to  put  him  in  prison, 
and  even  threatened  to  hang  him.  He  made  the 
most  humble  apologies,  and  was  set  at  liberty  only 
upon  promising  that  he  would  convey  Peter  imme- 
diately to  the  place  from  whence  he  had  taken  him. 
Thus  he  was  restored  to  our  arms,  and  we  have  never 
paid  the  £70. 

I  went  to  Dublin  with  all  my  family  except  James, 
and  it  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  we  were  in  misera- 
ble plight. 

I  waited  upon  General  Ingleby  one  of  the  Coun- 
cil, and  he  presented  me  at  once  with  a  warrant  for 
£100,  which  was  the  more  acceptable  as  it  was  al- 
together unexpected.  He  had  applied  for  it  as  soon 
as  he  heard  of  my  misfortunes,  and  that  £100  was 
the  sum  demanded  for  my  ransom. 

I  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  this  valuable  friend 
only  two  months  before  our  disaster.     He  had  been 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  235 

deputed  by  government  to  make  a  tour  of  observa- 
tion along  the  south-west  coast  of  Ireland  to  select 
the  most  suitable  harbour  upon  which  to  erect  a  for- 
tification. I  went  as  far  as  Dunmannus,  thirty  six 
miles  from  home,  to  give  him  the  meeting,  and  invite 
him  to  stay  at  my  house  when  he  came  into  our 
neighbourhood. 

He  accepted  my  invitation,  and  he,  and  his  whole 
retinue  remained  with  me  three  days,  during  which 
time  I  treated  them  as  hospitably  as  I  possibly  could, 
making  them  welcome  to  the  best  the  country  af- 
forded ;  and  having  had  a  little  notice  beforehand, 
we  had  had  time  to  make  preparation,  and  I  was  able 
to  have  as  many  as  fourteen  or  fifteen  different  dishes 
on  the  table  every  day,  and  a  great  variety  of  wine. 
He  has  been  one  of  my  best  friends  from  that  day  to 
this.  You  may  here  observe  the  hand  of  Providence 
which  raised  up  for  me  beforehand  this  powerful 
friend  against  the  day  of  need. 

1  determined  to  make  Dublin  my  future  residence, 
and  to  maintain  my  family  by  keeping  a  school  for 
instruction  in  Latin,  Greek,  and  French. 

I  found  a  house  on  St.  Stephen's  Green  that  I 
thought  would  answer  our  purpose  extremely  well.  It 
was  originally  well  built,  but  a  good  deal  out  of  re- 
pair, owing  to  its  having  been  long  without  a  tenant, 
and  it  had  the  reputation  of  being  haunted  by  evil 


236  A    TALE    OP 

spirits.  My  wife  and  I,  having  no  apprehension  of 
disturbance  from  any  unearthly  visitants,  were  very 
glad  to  get  this  house  upon  lower  terms  in  conse- 
quence of  the  prejudice  that  existed.  I  got  a  lease 
for  ninety  nine  years  at  £10  per  annum.  It  was 
forty  feet  square,  had  substantial  stone  walls,  and  all 
the  carpenter's  work  was  of  oak,  and  it  had  a  yard 
and  garden  three  hundred  feet  in  depth  and  the 
width  of  the  house. 

I  was  obliged  to  leave  Dublin  before  taking  pos- 
session of  it,  in  order  to  prosecute  my  claim  upon  the 
county  of  Cork  for  the  damage  I  had  received  at  the 
hands  of  Irishmen  in  the  French  privateer.  By  law, 
the  county  is  liable  to  make  good  all  losses  sustained 
by  violence  and  robbery,  provided  the  persons  com- 
mitting the  act  are  natives  and  not  foreigners. 

I  had  given  due  notice  to  the  Ilifjli  Constable  of 
the  Barony,  within  the  time  limited  by  Act  of  Par- 
liament, and  all  that  now  remained  for  me  to  do  was 
to  prove  the  facts  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Grand 
Jury  for  tiie  county  of  Cork.  I  took  my  son  James, 
and  two  of  the  servants  with  me  as  witnesses,  and  I 
had  no  diiliculty  whatever  in  proving  the  robbery, 
and  also  tliat  there  were  many  Irishmen  amongst  the 
assailants.  I  presented  an  inventory  of  what  I  had 
lost,  pariicuiarising  those  articles  which  had  been 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  237 

carried  away,  and  those  which  had  been  destroyed 
by  fire. 

No  one  was  more  active  in  my  behalf  than  Cap. 
tain  Cox,  the  son  of  chancellor  Cox   whom  I  have 
named  before  as  accompanying  the  Duke  of  Ormond 
to  the  south  of  Ireland.     It  happened  that  I  had 
made  him  a  present  of  a  handsome  watch  only  three 
days  before  the  privateer  attacked  us.     The  watch 
was  a  good  time-piece,  but  attracted  his  notice  from 
a  portrait  of  the  late  Queen,  wife  of  James  II,  which 
was  on  the  back  of  it,  and  as  he  admired  it  much  I 
gladly  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity  of  making 
him  an  acceptable  present.     I  had  receivrd  it  in  bar- 
ter for  some  of  my  manufactures  during  our  residence 
in  England.     When  he  heard  of  my  losses  he  wished 
to  return  it,  but  I  would  not  consent,  for  if  I  had  not 
given  it  to  him,   the  pirates  would  certainly  have 
carried  it  off. 

The  Grand  Jury,  after  examination,  awarded  me 
£800,  to  be  paid  by  the  county  of  Cork,  in  confor- 
mity  with  the  Act  of  Parliament. 

My  wife  had  experienced  some  little  annoyance 
dnring  my  absence  from  Dublin.  It  appeared  that 
the  house  we  had  taken  had  been  occupied  by  some 
beggars,  who  were  allowed  the  use  of  it  while  it  was 
untenanted,  and  my  wife  from  the  kindness  of  her 
nature  did  not  turn  them  out  of  the  house  when  she 


238  A    TALE    OF 

took  possession  of  it.  The  first  night  neither  she, 
nor  the  cliildicn,  who  were  all  in  the  room  with  her, 
coukl  get  any  sleep  for  the  constant  noises  that  they 
heard  in  the  house.  These  vagahonds  were  trying 
to  frighten  her  as  they  had  done  many  others  who 
had  thought  to  occupy  the  house,  and  had  given  it 
up  again  after  hearing  what  they  thought  supernatu- 
ral noises.  Slie  lx)re  this  patiently  the  first  night, 
and  believing  she  had  discovered  the  secret,  made 
her  preparations  accordingly  for  the  second  night. 

She  borrowed  fire  arms  and  swords,  and  calling 
the  people  before  dark,  she  told  them  to  be  sure  not 
to  leave  thoir  rooms  on  any  account  when  the  noises 
recurred  that  night,  l^ecause  she  had  provided  her- 
self  with  arms,  and  that  she  and  her  sons  intended 
to  fire  upon  the  evil  spirit  that  made  the  disturbance, 
and  therefore  they  would  see  the  necessity  of  keep- 
ing  oui  of  the  way  lor  fear  they  might  be  killed  by 
accident.  As  may  be  supposed  the  evil  spirits  were 
never  heard  more. 

On  my  return  from  Cork  I  turned  them  all  out  of 
the  house,  and  had  it  put  into  perfect  repair,  which, 
with  some  little  alterations  I  made  in  it,  did  not  cost 
me  less  than  £450.  In  this  house  I  have  lived  ever 
since,  and  have  had  a  very  good  school,  both  day 
scholars  and  boarders,  and  I  have  been  thus  enabled 
to  give  my  children  an  education  inferior  in  no  re- 


THE    IIUGUSrvOTS.  339 

spect  to  that  bestowed  upon  the  first  nobles  in  the 
land.  They  have  had  masters  for  writing,  drawing, 
dancing  and  fencing  ;  and  with  me  they  have  prose- 
cuted their  studies  in  Latin,  Greek,  Geography,  Math- 
ematics and  Fortification.  I  have  never  spared  any 
expense  in  furnishing  them  with  opportunities  of  im- 
provement, girls  as  well  as  boys.  My  daughters,  in 
addition  to  the  more  solid  branches  of  education,  have 
been  instructed  in  drawing,  and  in  every  variety  of 
ornamental  needle-work. 

Let  us  pause  for  a  moment  to  reflect  upon  the  mer- 
cies and  loving  kindness  of  our  Heavenly  Father, 
and  our  own  short-sightedness.  How  distressing  did 
it  appear  to  lose  at  Bear  Haven  all  the  property  for 
which  I  had  toiled  so  many  years,  and  the  last  most 
disastrous  overthrow  appeared  particularly  hard  ; 
yet,  without  it,  I  should  never  have  been  able  to  clear 
myself  of  debt,  and  I  should  have  been  obliged  to  re- 
main at  Bear  Haven,  and  bring  you  all  up  in  that 
desert,  where  it  would  have  been  absolutely  impossi- 
ble for  me  to  have  given  you  the  excellent  educations 
you  have  received  in  Dublin  ;  and  from  this  I  wish  you 
to  arrive  at  the  conclusion,  that  God  knov/s  what 
is  good  for  us  much  better  than  we  do  ourselves.  If 
this  becomes  your  settled  conviction,  there  is  no  lan- 
guage equal  to  describing  the  peace  of  mind  that  it 
will  cause.     For  my  own  part,  I  endeavour  to  receive 


240  A    TALE    OF 

with  perfect  submission  every  dispensation  from  the 
hand  of  my  Maker ;  even  though  I  see  nothing  but 
poverty,  sorrows,  and  afflictions,  grievous  to  the  flesh, 
I  can  wait  patiently  his  good  time,  for  I  know  that 
in  the  end  the  result  will  be  for  the  benefit  of  me  and 
mine. 

Here  follows  an  incident  quite  to  the  purpose. 
General  Ingleby,  whose  friendship  was  so  great  that 
he  was  always  on  the  look  out  for  something  to  bene- 
fit us,  thought  he  had  hit  upon  a  plan  that  would  be 
agreeable.  He  had  received  orders  to  send  all  the 
half-pay  officers  that  were  in  Ireland  to  Spain,  and 
he  entered  the  names  of  Peter  and  John  upon  the  list 
without  savins  anvthing  to  us  until  he  had  done  so. 
The  boys  were  wild  with  joy  at  the  idea  of  entering 
the  army,  and  escaping  from  the  drudgery  of  study. 

I  gave  them  very  little  recreation  to  be  sure,  except 
in  the  varieties  of  their  employments.  Latin  and 
Greek  were  studies  which  they  were  obliged  to  attend 
to  as  tasks,  and  every  thing  else  they  learned,  I  endea- 
voured  to  make  them  consider  as  an  indulgence  and 
relaxation. 

We  thought  it  was  a  decided  point,  but  behold  Mr. 
Secretary  Dawson  was  not  so  favorably  inclined  as 
General  Ingleby,  and  he  refused  to  make  out  their 
commissions,  telling  the  General  that  he  exceeded  his 
powers  in  entering,  upon  the  half-pay  list,  officers 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  241 

who  had  nsver  served.  The  General  was  much 
chagrined  at  this  unexpected  obstacle,  but  he  told  us 
to  have  patience  and  perhaps  he  might  yet  have  it  in 
his  pov/er  to  serve  us.  The  boys  were  grievously 
disappointed,  I  v/as  not ;  for  thouorh  I  was  unwillin<r 
to  decline  a  thing  that  promised  to  be  advantageous ; 
at  the  same  time  I  thought  them  full  too  young  to 
venture  from  under  the  shelter  of  a  parent's  wing,  and 
I  also  preferred  their  continuing  longer  at  study. 

The  half-pay  officers  embarked  at  Cork,  without 
them  to  go  to  Plymouth,  there  to  join  the  fleet  for 
Spain.     In   the  passage   they  were  attacked   by  a 
French  man  of  war,  and  though  confessedly  so  infe- 
rior  in  size  as  not  to  warrant  their  resisting  yet 
the  officers  of  the  army  who  were  on  board,  being 
very   numerous,   would   not   consent  to   surrender, 
(though  as  mere  passengers  they  should  not  have 
had   a  voice  in  the  matter)  and  they  fought  with 
desperation  till  one  half  were  killed,  and  almost   all 
the  rest  wounded,  and  they  had  to  surrender  after 
all. 

When  the  sad  news  reached  us,  I  returned  thanks 
to  God  with  my  whole  heart  for  having  refused  to 
me  and  mine  what  had  been  so  ardently  desired. 
Oh  !  my  dear  children,  learn  to  place  your  trust  in 
that  providence  which  will  preserve  you  even  in  spite 
of  yourselves,  if  you  will  only  trust  in  it     What  a 

21 


242  A    TALE    OF 

comfort  it  is  to  be  able  to  realise  that  wc  arc  under 
the  especial  care  of  so  wise,  and  so  powerful,  and  so 
benevolent  a  guide,  one  who  only  refuses  to  our  prayers 
that  which  he  knows  would  be  prejudicial  to  us. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1711,  Peter  was  ready  to  en- 
ter college.  Dr.  Hall  was  his  tutor,  and  with  the 
greatest  generosity  and  kindness  he  declined  receiv- 
ing any  fee  from  him,  and  he  did  the  same  by  Mosea 
and  Francis  when  they  went  to  college  ;  by  which 
I  consider  he  made  us  a  present  of  £35  or  £36,  and 
in  addition  to  this,  he  procured  a  chaml)cr  for  them 
free  of  rent  and  charges,  which  would  have  amounted 
to  about  £27  more,  and  all  this  from  pure  benevo- 
lence and  generosity,  for  we  had  never  done  any  thing 
to  deserve  such  kindness  at  his  hands. 

About  this  time,  Lord  Wharton  being  Lord  Lieu- 
tenant of  Ireland,  an  order  was  received  to  despatch 
all  the  regiments  that  were  in  this  country  to  Spain. 
In  examining  the  troops  it  was  found  that  a  great 
many  sons  of  officers  had  been  entered  who  were 
mere  children,  therefore  before  sending  them  away, 
the  Lord  Lieutenant  struck  off  without  any  excep- 
tion all  under  sixteen  years  of  age  as  being  too  young 
for  service.  He  was  a  little  too  fond  of  money,  and 
he  availed  himself  of  the  vacancies  he  had  created  to 
add  to  his  store  by  selling  the  commissions  for  mo- 
ney.    John  had  set  his  heart  upon  being  a  soldier, 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  243 

and  by  the  advice  of  General  Ingleby  I  waited  upon 
Lord  Wharton  to  apply  for  a  commission  for  him. 
I  told  him  my  circmnstances  did  not  allow  my  pur- 
chasing one.  John  also  waited  upon  him  and  show- 
ed him  some  specimens  of  his  military  drawings. 
He  was  handsome,  very  well  formed,  and  just  seventeen 
years  of  age,  and  it  appeared  that  he  made  a  very 
agreeable  impression  upon  his  Lordship,  who  said  it 
was  a  pity  so  fine  a  young  man  should  not  be  put  for- 
ward. I  renewed  my  applications  from  time  to  time, 
and  at  last,  on  the  eve  of  departure,  some  of  the  com- 
missions not  having  found  purchasers,  General  Ingle- 
by used  his  interest  and  obtained  an  ensign's  commis- 
sion for  John,  without  our  having  to  pay  any  thing 
more  than  the  fees  of  office.  We  equipped  him  very 
completely  at  an  expense  of  £75.  He  was  in  the  re- 
giment commanded  by  Colonel  Shawe,  a  cruel,  ava- 
ricious man,  a  drunkard,  and  a  debauchee,  and  he  al- 
ways looked  with  an  evil  eye  upon  John,  because  he 
had  obtained  his  commission  through  the  favor  of 
General  Ingleby. 

I  leave  John  to  tell  his  own  story  of  his  sufferings 
and  mortifications  under  such  a  Colonel,  and  of  the 
severe  illness  he  had  in  Spain.  I  feel  myself  bound 
however  to  acknowledge  in  this  place  the  great  good- 
ness of  God  in  returning  him  to  us  safe  and  sound,  and 
though  he  had   received  several  wounds  and  had 


244  A  TALE  or 

wounded  others,  being  often  obliged  to  put  his  hand 
to  his  sword,  yet  he  had  never  killed  any  body.  I 
bless  God  most  especially  for  having  preserved  him, 
amid  dissolute  companions,  and  scenes  of  temptation, 
from  acquiring  any  vicious  habit,  and  I  earnestly  be- 
seech him  to  continue  his  fatherly  protection. 

In  June,  1712,  Moses  and  Francis  entered  col- 
lege with  great  approbation  from  all  the  professors. 

Francis  was  very  young,  and  small  of  his  age,  but 
had  great  talents,  which  he  had  most  diligently  cul- 
tivated, and  he  had  sufficient  confidence  to  bring  all 
his  acquirements  into  play.  He  was  the  admiration 
of  the  whole  college  as  long  as  he  remained  there, 
which  was  seven  years  and  a  half. 

I  purchased  an  apartment  in  the  college  for  the 
use  of  the  three,  and  after  painting,  putting  neces- 
sary articles  of  furniture  into  it,  making  closets  &c, 
it  stood  me  in  £42.  They  always  had  the  use  of  this 
apartment  without  interruption  from  any  one  else, 
even  when  the  two  older  ones  left  college,  and  Fran- 
cis was  alone,  I  made  interest  that  he  should  have  no 
companion.  My  object  was  to  avoid  the  possibility 
of  their  being  corrupted  by  vicious  companions,  or 
drawn  from  study  by  idle  ones,  which  very  often  hap- 
pens to  young  persons  whose  characters  are  not  firm- 
ly established.  Thanks  be  to  God  they  preserved 
their  purity  of  manners,  and  holiness  of  life. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  245 

About  two  years  afterwards,  I  entered  Mosos  on 
the  books  of  the  Inns  of  Court  at  the  Temple,  Lon- 
don, because  he  intended  to  be  a  lawyer.  He  con- 
tinued to  study  with  great  assiduity,  and  was  very 
well  endowed  with  talents,  but  he  suffered  a  good 
deal  from  timidity.  He  went  to  London  in  1715, 
and  remained  a  year  and  some  months,  he  then  came 
home,  and  took  his  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  for  it 
was  my  wish  that  he  should  have  it  in  his  power  to 
pursue  the  study  of  Theology,  if  he  should  hereafter 
find  that  he  preferred  it  to  law. 

While  Moses  was  in  London,  I  went  to  the  expense 
of  entering  Francis  also  at  the  Inns  of  Court,  seeing 
that  he  was  of  a  very  quick  and  ready  turn,  with 
great  fluency  of  language,  I  thought  it  more  than  pro- 
bable  he  might  choose  the  profession  of  a  lawyer,  but 
thanks  be  to  God  he  has  chosen  to  dedicate  himself 
to  His  service,  and  to  qualify  himself  for  the  Holy 
Ministry. 

In  November  1713,  Captain  Boulay,  a  French 
gentleman, a  half. pay  cavalry  officer,  with  whom  I 
had  no  acquaintance,  called  upon  me  to  offer  his 
grand-daughter  in  marriage  to  one  of  my  sons.  She 
was  his  sole  descendant,  her  father  and  mother  were 
both  dead,  and  she  was  to  inherit  all  his  property. 
He  said  he  had  heard  an  excellent  report  of  my  sons, 
that  they  had  been  well  brought  up,  and  conducted 

21* 


246  A    TALE    OF 

themselves  on  every  occasion  with  propriety,  and 
were  free  from  the  follies  and  vices  of  the  age,  and 
this  made  him  wish  to  engage  one  of  them  as  a  pro- 
tector for  his  grandchild  when  he  sliould  he  laid  low. 
He  said  he  preferred  their  virtues  without  fortune,  to 
the  largest  property  unaccompanied  by  their  piety 
and  discretion.  He  was  upwards  of  eighty  years  of 
age,  and  his  grand  daughter  was  about  thirteen. 

I  thanked  him  very  much  for  the  flattering  terms 
in  which  he  had  made  the  proposal,  and  told  him  I 
thought  the  best  plan  would  be  lor  him  to  send  her 
to  us,  as  though  she  were  a  boarder,  and  then  wo 
mlglit  observe  wiiich  of  my  sons  liked  her  the  best, 
and  which  of  them  she  miglit  feel  a  preference  for. 

This  plan  pleased  him,  and  she  came  to  us.  She 
was  of  a  very  amiable  temper,  and  good  natural  dis- 
position, with  fair  talents,  but  had  been  extremely 
neclected  in  her  education. 

My  sons  consulted  with  each  other,  and  Peter,  by 
the  advice  of  his  brothers,  determined  to  marry  her. 

Marriage  articles  were  drawn  up,  and  on  the  2&th 
March,  1714,  they  were  married  with  great  privacy, 
because  Peter  had  not  yet  taken  his  degree  of  Bach- 
dor  of  Arts. 

About  this  time  we  began  to  turn  our  eyes  towards 
America  as  a  country  that  would  be  most  suitable 
for  the  future  residence  of  the  family. 


THE   HUGUENOTS.  247 

John,  the  officer,  was  without  employment,  and  so 
it  was  determined  that  he  should  make  a  voyage  to 
America,  travel  through  every  part  where  the  climate 
was  temperate,  and  purchase  a  plantation  in  such  sit- 
uation  as  he  judged  to  be  most  favorable  in  all  re- 
spects. 

He  landed  in  Massachusetts,  and  travelled  through 
that  province,  and  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Maryland 
and  Virginia,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
last  named  province  possessed  the  greatest  advan- 
tages. He  purchased  a  plantation  there,  and  also 
found  a  Parish  or  Benefice  in  the  vicinity  of  his  pur- 
chase which  he  thought  would  suit  Peter,  and  wrote 
to  him  to  that  effect. 

Captain  Boulay  died  in  March,  1715,  which  made 
Peter  the  owner  of  £1,000,  and  having  taken  his  de- 
gree, he  was  ready  to  be  ordained,  and  as  soon  as  he 
had  read  John's  letter,  he  went  to  London,  and  re- 
ceived ordination  from  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, who  is  also  Bishop  of  all  the  British  colonies. 

In  February  or  March,  1716  Moses  took  his  wife 
to  join  him  in  London,  and  they  embarked  thence 
for  Virginia,  where  they  found  John  expecting  them 
impatiently,  and  I  have  had  the  satisfaction  of  learn- 
ing that  they  are  very  comfortably  settled. 

Moses  remained  in  London  studying  law. 


248  A    TALE    OP 

Francis  was  still  at  college  and  a  very  close  stii- 

dent. 

I  was  keeping  school  all  the  time,  and  had  so  great 
a  number  of  scholars  as  to  be  able  fully  to  meet  my 
heavy  expenditure  for  the  maintenance  of  ray  family, 
and  the  education  of  my  children. 

I  now  felt  that  my  sons  were  well  able  to  provide 
for  themselves,  but  I  could  not  help  feeUng  a  little 
anxiety  as  to  what  might  become  of  my  wife  and 
two  dauglitcrs,  in  case  it  should  please  God  to  take 
me  away  from  them.  I  had  not  been  able  to  lay 
any  thing  up,  in  consequence  of  the  heavy  expenses 
I  had  incurred  for  the  education  of  my  children.  At 
my  death  my  pension  would  cease,  and  my  school 
of  course,  and  they  would  be  destitute. 

Lord  Gal  way  was  now  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ire- 
land ;  and  1  applied  to  him  to  have  my  pension  of 
five  sliillings  a  day  transferred  to  my  wife  and  daugh- 
ters,  one  shilling  to  my  wife,  and  two  shillings  each 
to  my  daughters.  He  granted  me  the  favor,  and  my 
name  was  erased  frotn  the  pension  list,  and  their's 
entered  in  its  place  ;  by  which  I  had  a  very  narrow 
escape  from  losing  it  altogether,  without  my  wife 
and  children  deriving  any  benefit  from  it. 

Lord  Galway's  list  was  not  approved  in  London, 
and  many  were  deprived  of  their  pensions  under  cir- 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  249 

cumstances  very  similar  to  mine,  but  the  same  good 
providence  which  had  so  often  befriended  me  was 
still  watchful,  and  raised  up  for  me  friends  in  Par- 
liament, who  spoke  so  warmly  in  my  behalf,  when 
the  subject  came  under  discussion,  that  I  was  re- 
instated in  my  pension  as  before. 
'  While  this  was  going  on,  my  eldest  daughter  Mary 
Anne  was  married,  with  the  consent  of  the  whole 
family,  on  the  20th  October,  1716,  to  Matthew 
Maury,  of  Castel  Mauron,  Gascony,  a  very  honest 
man,  and  a  good  manager,  but  without  property. 
He  had  lived  in  Dublin  about  two  years,  and  came 
thither  from  France  as  a  Refugee. 

James  was  the  next  who  went  to  Virginia,  he 
sailed  with  his  wife  and  child,  his  mother-in-law,  and 
thirteen  servants  in  April  1717,  and  had  a  long  and 
most  disastrous  voyage.  The  vessel  sprung  a  leak, 
and  they  were  obliged  to  pump  twenty-six  days  and 
nights  without  ceasing.  They  arrived  in  safeiy  at 
last,  and  John  met  them,  and  conducted  them  to  a 
house  he  had  provided,  and  he  had  been  so  consider- 
ate as  to  lay  up  grain  ready  for  their  use. 

In  the  same  year,  my  son-in-law  Mr.  Maury  went 
to  Virginia,  and  was  so  much  pleased  with  the  coun- 
try that  he  took  a  portion  of  the  land  John  had  pur- 
chased, and  prepared  every  thing  for  a  future  resi- 


250  A    TALE    OF 

dcnce  upon  it,  and  returned  for  his  wife  and  a  son* 
that  had  been  born  to  him  during  his  absence.  They 
left  us  in  September,  1719. 

In  this  year,  Moses  became  disgusted  with  the  law, 
his  natural  timidity  was  much  against  his  succeed, 
ing  in  it,  and  he  also  had  some  scruples  of  conscience 
on  the  subject.  I  wished  him  exceedingly  to  study 
theology,  but  I  could  not  prevail  upon  him,  he  said 
he  was  incapable  of  speaking  in  public,  and  had 
made  up  his  mind  to  be  an  engraver,  which  I  did 
not  approve  of,  though,  ratlicr  than  thwart  him,  I 
consented  to  it.     He  is  now  settled  in  London,  and 

»  This  infant  eon,  afterwards  the  Rev.  James  Maury  of 
Albemarle  county,  Virginia,  was  a  highly  estimable  and  use- 
ful clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England.  lie  has  been  men. 
lioned  by  Mr.  Wirt  in  his  Life  of  Patrick  Henry,  in  a  manner 
scarcely  justified  by  the  circumptanecs  of  the  case  tlicrc  re- 
corded ;  for  he  brought  an  action  on  behalf  of  himself  and  his 
clerical  bretliren  merely  for  the  recovery  of  their  lawful  duea. 
To  do  away  any  imfavorable  impression  that  record  may  have 
made,  I  cannot  forbear  inserting,  in  an  Appendix,  an  extract 
from  a  confidential  letter  of  his  to  a  cousin  in  Great  Britain, 
giving  his  views  upon  the  Stamp  Act.  This  letter  is  dated 
December,  1765,  and  shows  the  writer  to  have  been  a  man  of 
strong  and  vigorous  understanding,  wide  awake  to  any  thing 
like  oppression,  and  ready  to  resist  it.  He  died  in  1768,  and 
therefore  did  not  see  the  struggle  he  appears  to  have  foreseen. 
— See  Appendix. 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  251 

I  am  told  he  is  a  good  artist.  It  is  very  certain  that 
he  appeared  to  have  a  decided  talent  for  drawing 
when  he  was  instructed  in  the  art  as  a  boy.  May 
the  Lord  bless  and  prosper  him  in  an  employment 
which  he  allowed  him  to  desire  so  strongly. 

John  returned  to  London  from  Virginia,  in  May, 
1719,  and  soon  after  came  home  to  us,  and  remained 
rather  more  than  a  year,  when  he  accompanied 
Francis  to  London.  The  latter,  had  been  devoted 
to  study  from  infancy,  and  had  determined  to  be  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel,  he  had  taken  his  degree  of 
Master  of  Arts,  and  was  well  skilled  in  the  Oriental 
languages,  as  well  as  in  all  the  more  usual  branches 
of  college  education.  The  Archbishop  of  Dublin 
gave  him  a  most  particular  letter  of  recommendation 
to  the  Bishop  of  London,  from  whom  he  received 
both  Deacon's  and  Priest's  orders,  and  many  marks 
of  kindness.  He  was  married  in  London  to  Miss 
Mary  Glanisson  a  young  lady  of  French  parentage, 
originally  from  Jonzac  in  Saintonge,  and  soon  after- 
wards they  sailed  for  Virginia.  The  Bishop  of 
London  gave  him  a  letter  of  introduction  to  the 
Governor  of  Virginia. 

When  he  arrived,  he  was  so  much  admired  by  all 
who  heard  him  preach,  that  many  parishes  were  de- 
sirous of  having  him  for  their  pastor,  and  he  gained 
the  esteem  and  friendship  of  all  who  came  in  contact 


252  A    TALE    OF 

with  him.  He  is  settled  in  St.  Margaret's  Parish, 
King  Williani  county,  Virginia,  where  he  is  so  much 
beloved  that  his  parishioners  have  bestowed  favors 
upon  him  such  as  no  previous  minister  had  received 
from  them.  I  have  lately  had  the  gratification  of 
hearing  that  God  has  given  him  a  son. 

John,  becoming  weary  of  passing  his  time  without 
any  settled  occupation,  has  been  learning  the  trade 
of  a  watchmaker  from  his  cousin  Peter  Forcstier, 
witli  wliom  he  always  boarded  in  London,  and  who 
was  much  fumed  for  his  rcpeating-watchcs.  By  a 
late  letter  from  John,  I  find  he  has  begun  to  work  on 
his  own  account,  which  I  am  pleased  to  hear,  for  it 
will  make  him  independent,  in  case  he  should  be  de- 
prived of  the  half-paj'  which  he  has  hitherto  received. 

I  have  now,  my  dear  children,  given  you  a  brief 
statement  of  the  present  condition  of  each  one  of 
you,  and  I  hope  that  you  will  add  your  individual 
histories  to  this  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  come 
after  you. 

My  memoirs  draw  near  a  close.  Your  poor  mother 
had  suffered  much  from  rheumatism  for  three  years 
before  John  and  Francis  left  us,  this  painful  disorder 
continued  to  increase  upon  her  till  she  was  no  longer 
able  to  go  to  Church,  and  then  she  was  greatly  de- 
pressed in  her  spirits.  At  length,  her  complaint 
turned  to  dropsy,  and  she  was  unable  to  leave  her 


THE    HUGUENOTS.  253 

bed,  and  on  the  29th  Janr.  1721,  her  sufferings  were 
ended  by  death. 

A  melancholy  day  it  was  that  deprived  me  of  my 
greatest  earthly  comfort  and  consolation  !  I  was  bow- 
ed to  the  very  dust,  but  it  made  me  think  of  my  own 
latter  end,  and  make  preparation  to  join  her  once 
more. 

During  her  illness,  our  dear  daughter  Elizabeth 
supplied  the  place  of  all  her  brothers  and  sisters,  (who 
had  left  her  alone  to  comfort  and  sustain  her  aged 
parents)  she  took  the  greatest  possible  care  of  her 
mother,  and  never  spared  herself  in  any  way,  doing 
every  thing  that  she  thought  would  be  acceptable  and 
beneficial. 

Though  I  was  sadly  overpowered  by  this  great 
affliction,  and  much  enfeebled,  I  continued  to  attend 
to  my  school  till  the  month  of  September  in  the  same 
year,  when  my  health  became  so  bad  that  I  dismissed 
all  my  day  scholars,  as  well  as  boarders,  in  order  that 
I  might  have  leisure  to  prepare  for  the  great  and  aw- 
ful change  that  I  was  assured  could  not  be  far  distant, 
and  it  was  my  wish  to  withdraw  from  worldly  care 
and  die  in  peace. 

After  remaining  some  months  in  a  deplorable  state, 
suffering  from  constant  low  fever  and  other  distress- 
ing symptoms,  given  over  by  my  physicians,  and 
without  the  least  expectation  on  my  own  part  of  re- 

22 


254  A    TALE    OF 

covery,  I  was  severely  attacked  with  the  gout,  from 
which  I  had  been  free  for  eighteen  months,  and  tliis 
new  disorder  drove  away  all  others ;  the  fever  disap- 
peared, my  appetite  returned,  and  I  have  continued 
ever  since  in  tolerable  health,  though  very  feeble,  find- 
ing it  difficult  to  use  my  limbs  and  walking  with  great 
pain. 

Your  sister  Elizabeth,  all  this  time,  hjis  given  me 
constant  proofs  of  her  tenderness  and  affection.  She 
has  never  caused  me  the  least  pain  except  by  her  tears, 
which  she  has  not  at  all  times  been  able  to  restrain, 
and  I  have  had  some  very  anxious  moments,  fearing 
lest  she  should  destroy  her  own  health  by  her  unceas- 
inir  attention  to  me.  She  has  taken  bad  colds  occa- 
sionally,  but  God  in  his  infinite  mercy  has  preserved 
her  to  me,  and  I  thank  him  for  this  very  great  con 
solation.  I  recommend  this  dear  daughter  most  es- 
pecially to  your  care  and  protection  ;  you  must  re- 
member, my  dear  children,  that  she  is  the  one  who 
has  smoothed  the  downward  path  of  life  for  her  pa- 
rents, and  she  has  performed  those  tender  offices  which 
you  all  owed  to  them,  but  which  your  absence  preclud- 
ed you  from  performing. 

I  had  written  to  John  and  Moses  to  tell  them  I 
would  send  these  memoirs  to  them,  that  they  might 
make  a  copy  for  their  own  use,  before  this  was  sent 
to  Virginia.     They  answered,  that  they  would  much 


THE    HUGUENOTS  255 

prefer  retaining  the  copy  written  with  my  own  hand, 
and  sending  that  which  they  would  write  to  Virginia, 
and  this  very  natural  wish  of  theirs  has  induced  me 
to  make  this  second  copy. 

God  having  prolonged  my  life  and  given  me  leisure, 
I  have  felt  it  my  duty  to  do  it  myself,  as  well  to  gratify 
them  as  to  save  them  trouble,  and  prevent  their  being 
taken  from  their  profitable  employments  to  write  it, 
and  I  am  sure  those  in  Virginia  will  value  this  the 
more  for  being  in  my  own  hand- writing.  I  have 
copied  it  word  for  word  from  the  other,  and  have 
finished  it  this  21st  day  of  June,  1722,  therefore,  if 
by  any  accident  one  copy  should  be  lost,  the  other 
may  be  referred  to, 

I  feel  the  strongest  conviction  that  if  you  will  take 
care  of  these  memoirs,  your  descendants  will  read 
them  Avith  pleasure,  and  I  here  declare  that  I  have 
been  most  particular  as  to  the  truth  of  all  that  is  here- 
in recorded. 

I  hope  God  will  bless  the  work,  and  that  by  his 
grace  it  may  be  a  bond  of  union  amongst  you  and 
your  descendants,  and  that  it  may  be  a  humble  means 
of  confirming  you  all  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

If  our  Heavenly  Father,  whose  blessing  I  have  im- 
plored, should  vouchsafe  to  make  use  of  it  as  an  in- 
strument for  the  advancement  of  His  Glory,  and  your 


256  A  TALE  or 

eternal  welfare,  I  shall  think  myself  more  than  recom- 
pensed for  all  my  trouble. 

I  am,  my  dear  children. 

Your  tender  Father, 
James  Fontaik^. 


APPENDIX. 


(Extract  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev.  James  Maury  of  Vir^nia, 
to  Mr.  John  Fontaine,  South  Wales,  Great  Britain.) 


December  31,  1765. 
But  what  hath    given  a  most  general 


alarm  to  all  the  colonists  upon  this  continent,  and 
most  of  those  in  the  islands,  and  struck  us  with  the 
most  universal  consternation  that  ever  seized  a  people 
so  widely  diffused,  is  a  late  Act  of  the  British  Par- 
liament, subjecting  us  to  a  heavy  tax  by  the  impo- 
sition of  stamp  duties  on  all  manner  of  papers  requi- 
site in  trade,  law  or  private  dealings,  on  pamphlets, 
newspapers,  almanacks,  calenders,  and  even  adver- 
tisements, &;c.  &;c.  ;  and  ordaining,  that  the  causes 
of  delinquents  against  the  Act,  wheresoever  such  de- 
linquents may  reside,  shall  be  cognizable  and  finally 
determinable  by  any  court  of  admiralty  upon  the 
continent,  to  which  either  plaintiff  or  defendant  shall 
think  proper  to  appeal  from  the  sentence  either  of 
the  inferior  courts  of  justice  or  the  supreme.  The 
execution  of  this  Act  was  to  have  commenced  on  the 


258  APPENDIX. 

first  of  the  last  month  all  over  British  America  ;  but 
hath  been,  with  an  unprecedented  unanimity,  op- 
posed and  prevented  by  every  province  on  the  conti- 
nent, and  by  all  the  islands,  whence  we  have  had 
any  advices  since  that  date.  For  this  'tis  probable 
some  may  brand  us  with  the  odious  name  of  rebels ; 
and  others  may  applaud  us  for  that  generous  love  of 
liberty,  which  we  inherit  from  our  glorious  forefa- 
thers ;  while  some  few  may  prudently  suspend  their 
judgment,  till  they  shall  have  heard  what  may  be 
said  on  cither  side  of  the  question.  If  the  Parlia- 
ment indeed  have  a  right  to  impose  taxes  on  the 
colonies,  we  are  as  absolute  slaves  as  any  in  Asia, 
and  consequently  in  a  state  of  rebellion.  If  they 
have  no  such  right,  we  are  acting  the  noble  and  vir- 
tuous part,  which  every  freeman  and  community  of 
freemen  hath  a  right,  and  is  in  duty  bound  to  act. 
For  my  own  part,  I  am  not  acquainted  with  all  that 
may  be  said  on  the  one  part  or  the  other,  and  there- 
fore am  in  some  sort  obliged  to  suspend  my  judgment. 
But  no  arguments  that  have  yet  come  in  my  way, 
have  convinced  me  that  the  Parliament  hath  any 
such  right.  The  advocates  for  the  Act,  I  observe, 
have  alleged  both  precedents  and  arguments  in  sup. 
port  of  the  Parliament's  right  of  taxation  over  the 
colonies.  The  precedents  alleged  are  two  Acts  of 
Parliament ;  one  establishing  a  post-office  in  Amer- 


APPENDIX.  259 

ica  ;  the  other,  making  some  regulations  with  regard 
to  the  British  troops  sent  hither  in  the  late  war ; 
which  are  so  very  dissimilar  from  what  they  have 
been  alleged  to  support,  and  therefore  so  foreign  from 
the  point ;  that,  instead  of  producing  conviction,  they 
really  excite  laughter.  And  of  the  arguments  which 
I  have  seen  urged  in  behalf  of  this,  till  now,  unheard 
of  claim,  the  chief  seems  to  be  but  a  bare  ipse  dixit, 
an  unsupported  assertion,  that  we,  as  British  sub- 
jects, are  virtually  represented  in  the  British  Par- 
liament,  and  consequently,  obliged  by  all  its  acts. 
But,  how  some  millions  of  people  here  (not  a  man  of 
whom  can,  in  consequence  of  his  property  here, 
either  give  a  vote  for  sending  a  member  to,  or  him- 
self obtain  a  seat  in,  your  House  of  Commons)  can, 
in  any  sense,  be  said  to  be  represented  by  that  House, 
is  utterly  incomprehensible  to  an  American  under- 
standing, or  to  any  European  understanding,  I  have 
yet  met  with,  which  hath  breathed  American  air. 
That  we  are  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  Parlia- 
ment in  matters  of  government,  that  are  of  a  nature 
purely  external ;  subject  too  to  such  of  its  statutes 
as  are  of  a  date  prior  to  the  first  migration  of  our 
ancestors  hither  and  to  the  first  foundation  of  our 
government,  is  what  seems  to  be  generally  granted 
amongst  those  I  have  conversed  with.  But  taxa- 
tion   is  an   act   of  government,  purely  internal,  in 


260  APPENDIX. 

which   (allowing  us  to  be   freemen)  we  conceive  a 
British   House   of  Commons  and   a   Parliament  of 
Paris  have  an  equal  right  to  intermeddle.     We  flat- 
ter  ourselves  with  a  notion  that  though  we  be  sub- 
jects to  Great  Britain,  and,  we  hope,  as  loyal  as  any 
others  (and  perhaps  not  less  useful)  we  yet  are  free- 
men.    All  our  charters   declare  (which  we  are  not 
conscious  of  having  ever   forfeited)  that  all  British 
subjects,  dwelling  and  their  children  horn  here,  shall 
have  and  enjoy  all  liherti.es,  franchises,  and  immuni- 
ties, to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  if  they  had  heen 
ahiding  and  horn  within  the  realm  of  England.    And 
if  these  charters  have  not  been   legall)^  forfeited,  as 
wc  trust  they  have  not,  are  we  not  entitled  to  all  the 
rights  and  liberties  of  Britons?     If  we  be,  we  can- 
not, one   would  think,  consistently  with  the   princi- 
ples of  the   British  government,  as   ascertained   in 
Magna  Charta,  he  taxable  without  our  own  consent. 
Wc  also  conceive  that  the  consent  of  no  freeholder 
in  America  hath  been  given,  or  can  possibly  be  given, 
in  any  constitutional  mode,  either  personally  or  vica- 
riously to  the  Act  in  question,  or  to  any  other  Act  of 
taxation ;  because  not  a  man  of  us,  as  possessor  of 
American  property,  can,  as  was  before  observed,  vote 
for  a  member,  or  himself  become  a  member,  in  that 
august  house,  whence  all  money  bills,  as  far  as  their 
jurisdiction  extends,  must  take  their  rise.     We  more- 


APPENDIX.  261 

over  consider  ourselves,  if  you  will  allow  me  the  ex- 
pression for  want  of  a  better,  as  a  peculium  of  the 
crown.  By  charters  from  the  crown  that  company 
was  incorporated,  which  first  planted  us.  By  the 
crown  were  those  charters  afterwards  revoked.  By 
the  crown  too,  we  are  told,  all  the  grants  of  liberties, 
all  the  charters,  which  had  passed  from  the  company, 
during  its  existence,  to  the  colony,  were,  upon  the 
revocation  of  the  company's  charters  and  its  disso- 
lution, confirmed  and  ratified  to  us.  Under  the  im- 
mediate protection,  direction,  and  government  of  the 
crown  have  we  been  from  that  time  to  this.  In 
short,  thenceforward  all  the  iVcts  of  our  Legislature 
either  have,  or  constitutionall}^  ought  to  have,  been 
transmitted  to  Great  Britain  and  subjected  to  the 
royal  judgment,  either  to  be  disallowed,  or  ratified 
and  confirmed  by  the  ultimate  sanction  of  the  royal 
assent,  previously  to  their  having  the  force  and  va- 
lidity  of  laws,  without  any  parliamentary  interposi- 
tion in  any  manner  or  respect  whatever.  So  that 
the  king,  not  as  a  branch  of  the  British  Legislature, 
but  as  a  sovereign  lord  and  absolute  proprietor  of  the 
colony,  in  conjunction  with  his  commissioner  the 
governor,  his  council  of  state  and  the  people's  repre- 
sentatives here,  we  suppose,  form  that  aggregate 
Legislature,  to  the  Acts  of  which  alone,  in  all  arti- 
cles of  internal  government  (of  which  taxation  is  a 


262  APPENDIX. 

most  important  one)  we  owe  obedience.  To  such 
alone,  and  to  no  other,  have  we  paid  obedience  quite 
from  our  first  estabUshment  to  this  present  day. 
And  to  such  alone,  in  all  such  articles,  particularly 
that  of  taxea  if  I  mistake  not  the  sentiments  of  my 
countrymen,  ns.'  they  ever  be  disposed  or  prevailed 
on  to  pay  obedience  by  any  other  argument  than 
what  some  have  called  the  ultima  ratio  rcsum : 
which  may,  for  aught  I  know,  be  as  convincing  in 
matters  of  policy,  as  fire  and  faggot  have  been  in 
those  of  religion.  Besides  all  this,  whenever  the 
colony  hath  laboured  under  any  grievance,  which  the 
branches  of  the  Legislature  here  resident,  could  not 
redress  ;  or  hath  found  it  necessary  to  crave  any 
indulgence  or  enlargement  of  privileges  and  immu- 
nities ;  their  application  has  been  always  made  to 
the  king.  And  it  doth  not  appear  to  me,  that  ever 
they  have  made  any  application  to  Parliament,  since 
king  James  the  first  took  them  out  of  the  company's 
hands  in  1624,  on  any  occasion  whatever,  except 
once  or  twice,  when  it  was  apprehended  some  bills, 
depending  in  Parliament,  would  pass  into  Acts, 
which  would  be  prejudicial  to  their  trade  abroad, 
till  they  remonstrated  against  this  Stamp  Act.  And 
indeed  they  have  had  very  little  encouragement  to 
do  so  again,  if  what  their  agent  hath  told  them  be 
true  ;    that   their  remonstrances   against  that  bill 


APPENDIX.  263 

(though  as  modest  as  could  be  expected  from  men, 
not  sunk  into  the  most  abject  slavery)  were  not  so 
much  as  permitted  to  be  heard.  Such  hath  been 
the  form  of  government,  under  which  we  have  lived 
from  the  year  1621,  when  our  government  was  tho- 
roughly established  by  charter  from  the  company,  to 
this  present  date.  This  we  think  a  succession  of 
years,  sufficient  to  establish  that  argument  in  sup- 
port of  our  rights,  had  we  no  other,  which  is  called 
prescription.  For,  during  this  whole  period,  no  ar- 
chives, records,  or  histories,  that  any  here  are  ac- 
quainted with,  or  that  any  with  you  have  cited,  as 
far  as  I  know,  show,  that  ever  the  British  Parliament 
attempted  to  tax  us,  or  intermeddle  in  any  matters, 
relative  to  our  interior  government,  till  the  date  of 
this  unhappy  Stamp  Act.  All  these  rather  prove 
the  contrary.  Nay  it  appears,  that  some  Acts,  even 
under  an  arbitrary  Stewartine  reign  sent  over  hither 
with  Lord  Culpepper,  when  he  came  as  Governor, 
were,  by  his  Lordship's  instructions,  previously  to 
their  execution,  to  be  subjected  to  the  consideration 
of  our  General  Assembly,  in  order  to  obtain  their 
consent.  It  further  appears  that  they  were  so  sub- 
jected and  consented  to  by  the  Assembly,  after  the 
addition  of  two  provisoes  to  one  of  them.  In  a 
word,  it  is  indisputable,  that,  whenever  the  kings  of 
Great  Britain  have  wanted  any  aids  either  of  men 


264  APPENDIX. 

or  money  from  this  colony,  the  method  of  obtain- 
ing them  hath  been  by  letters  requisitory,  in  the 
royal  name,  from  a  Secretary  of  State  to  the 
Governors,  by  whom  those  letters  have  been  laid 
before  the  Assembly,  who  have  levied  the  aids  asked 
in  such  mode  and  by  such  ways  and  means,  as 
they  thought  most  effectual  and  least  oppressive, 
of  which  they  surely  arc  the  best  judges.  From 
all  which  premises  the  people  of  Virginia  con- 
clude, the  Parliament  hath  no  right  to  tax  them. — But, 
if  they  had,  it  is  as  steadfastly  believed  by  most  men 
here,  as  any  article  of  their  creed,  that  they  have  no 
right  to  deprive  us  of  the  inestiinable  privilege  of  be- 
ing tried  by  juries.  This  unconstitutional  stretch  of 
authority  they  are  certain  it  is  not  their  duty  to  obey. 
The  transition  from  subjecting  us  to  be  tried  by 
courts  of  admirality  in  civil  matters  to  military  gov- 
ernment is  so  very  easy,  that  the  thoughts  of  it  re- 
duce us  almost  to  despair. — For  these  reasons,  amongst 
many  others,  the  people  of  this  colony  would  not  al- 
low the  stamped  papers  to  be  distributed,  and  forced 
the  stamp-master  to  resign  immediately  on  his  arri- 
val. These  reasons  convince  them,  that  the  moment 
they  acquiesce  under  the  Stamp  Act  they  commence 
slaves.  And  the  blood  of  their  generous  ancestors 
which  flows  in  their  veins,  or  some  other  cause,  seems 
to  have  given  them  such  an  instinctive  abhorrence  of 


APPENDIX.  265 

slavery,  that,  were  we  to  judge  from  appearances  they 
think  any  evil  whatever  more  elegible  than  that. 
How  the  affair  will  end,  God  only  knows  !     May  his 
wise  Providence  prevent  those  tragedies,  which  my 
very  heart  even  bleeds  at  the  thoughts  of! — But,  put 
the  case  (which  is  the  most  favourable  supposition  that 
can  be  put)  that  the  colonies  at  last  submit  to  the 
galling  yoke,  every  friend  to  Great  Britain  must  even 
there  find  cause  to  detest  and  execrate  the  Act.     For 
the  execution  of  it  or  of  any  other  Act  of  Taxation 
will  affect  her  in  the  tenderest  points,  her  manufac- 
tures, trade,  and  naval  power.     Tho  colonies  were 
poor  before  the  war.     They  are  much  more  so  since. 
Additional  taxes  must  increase  their  poverty.     The 
poorer  they  are,  the  less  of  your  manufactures  can 
they  pay  for  and  consume.     The  less  demand  there 
is  for  those  manufactures,  the  more  of  your  manufac- 
turers must  want  bread.     When  we  can  no  lomier 
pay  for  your  manufactures,  we  cannot  go  naked. 
Necessity  will  set  us  upon  improving  the  natural  ad- 
vantanges  of  our  soil  and  climate,  and  manufacturing 
the  products  of  it,  flax,  hemp,  wool  and  cotton,  which 
are  to  be  had  here  in  great  plenty  as  well  as  perfec- 
tion.— Besides,  it  is  said,  some  eminent  merchants 
in  London  have  computed,  that  one  third,  others  one 
fourth,  of  your  exports  are  brought  to  the  colonies  ; 
and  have  observed  that  those  exports  have  greatly 

23 


266  APPENDIX. 

diminished  since  this  Act  hath  been  on  the  carpet. 
How  just  that  computation  or  remark  may  be,  I  do 
not  know.     But   this   I  know,  that  the  orders   for 
goods  from  Great  Britain  have  greatly    decreased, 
wherever  I  am  acquainted,  as  well  as  the  consump- 
tion of  them,  within  these  few  months  ;  that  the  num- 
ber of  wheels,  looms  &;c.  have  increased  to  an  amaz- 
ing degree,  and  that  only  at  one  meeting  in  a  neigb- 
bourins  colony  upwards  of  two  hundred  merchants 
are  said  to  have  bound  tiicmselves  under  most  solemn 
engagements  not   to   order    any  goods  from  Great 
Britain  till  that  Act  should  be  repealed.     In  short, 
necessity  will  force  every  man  of  us  to  employ  his 
own  labour  and  that  of  his  slaves  so  as  may  best  sup- 
ply his  needs  ;  from  which,  I  believe  nothing  but  some 
dragoons  at  each  man's  door  will  prevent  us.     More 
need  not  be  said  to  prove  this  detestable  Act  produc- 
tive of  the  most  direful  mischief,  not  only  to  the  chil- 
dren, but  to  the  mother  island.     For  my  own  part, 
whatever  the  event  may  be,  I   comfort  myself  with 
the  reflection,  that  every  thing  here  below  is  subject 
to  the  control  of  irresistible  power,  directed  by  un- 
erring wisdom  and  infinite  goodness.  &,c.  &c. 


MEMOIR 

OP 

MRS.  SARAH  LOUISA  TAYLOR. 

PUBLISHED  BY  JOHN  S.  TAYLOR, 

BRICK  CHURCH  CHAPEL, 
Corner  of  Park  Row  and  Spruce  streets,  New  York  ; 

BOSTON,  WEEKS,  JORDON  &  Co. ; 
PHILADELPHIA,    JOSEPH    WHETHAM. 


NOTICES. 

From  the  Christian  IVIirror. 

Memoirs  of  Mrs  Sarah  Louis  Taylor  ;  or  an  Illustration  of 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  awakening,  renewing,  and 
sanctifying  the  heart.  By  Lot  Jones,  A.  M.,  New  York  : 
John  S.  Taylor,  1838,  pp.  324. 

Memoirs  of  individuals  have  become  so  common,  thatiiot  a 
few  may  be  ready  to  ask.  Why  publish  another  ?  And  we  miglU 
ask,  in  turn,  why  not  published  another  ?  After  all  the  objec- 
tions that  can  be  urged,  it  is  a  kind  of  reading  which  interests, 
and  will  continue  to  interest  the  mass  of  society.  Nothing 
scarcely  arrests  attention,  like  personal  history — the  workings 
of  individual  minds,  or  has  more  influence  in  forming  character. 
And  why  should  we  not  as  readily  welcome  a  new  book  in  this 
department  of  literature,  as  a  new  edition  of  an  old  one  ?  Every 
person  whose  history  is  worth  reading,  has  some  individuality 
of  character,  which  distinguishes  him  from  others ;  or  some 
peculiar  relations  or  circumstances  in  his  existence ;  which 
call  for  modifications  of  inward  exercises  or  external  conduct, 
more  or  less  peculiar  :  and  it  is  interesting  to  see  how  perfect 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 

a  re^lator  religious  principle  is — how  admirably  it  will  ad- 
just the  feelings  and  the  conduct  to  the  demands  of  the  case, 
whatever  be  the  peculiarity  of  natural  temperament,  or  of  the 
personal  relations. 

We  have  no  fears  that  the  above  question  will  be  asked  by 
any  one,  after  reading-  this  little  volume.  If  he  dotis  not  feel 
'  reproved,  corrected,  or  instructed  in  righteousness,'  it  will  be 
because  he  has  made  pre-eminent  attainments  in  scriptural 
knowledge  and  holy,  useful  living ;  or  else  because  his  con- 
science has  lost  its  susceptibillity.  In  Mrs.  Taylor  religion  ap. 
pears  with  dignity  as  well  as  grace,  in  power  as  well  as  beauty. 
Hers  was  tiie  faith  which  "  works  by  love,  purifies  the  heart, 
and  overcomes  the  world."  Its  fruits  were  choice  and  abun- 
dant. Nor  were  her  virtues  cancelled,  or  their  iiilluenco 
more  than  destroyed  by  gross  defects  and  blemishes.  She 
had  uncommon  symmetry  and  harmony  of  character.  With 
a  uniform  and  controlling  desire  to  do  good,  she  never  lacke.' 
the  means  and  opportunity  ;  and  did  much,  in  the  best  aai 
highest  sense  of  the  expression.  She  won  nut  a  few  to  righi- 
cousnt'ss.  Her  religion  was  a  reliyion  of  diligence  and  energy, 
rendering  her  "  steadfast,  unmoveable,  always  abounding  in 
the  work  of  the  Lord  ;"  and  her  labor  was  "  not  in  vain." 

We  pec  in  Mrs.  T.  tbc  same  religion,  in  its  essential  elc 
ments,  and  in  its  more  important  developements,  which  glow- 
ed in  and  b-amed  f<jrth  from  the  "great  cl  );;'!  f.f  \v?tri  esses  :" 
— the  same  faitli,  the  same  humility,  the  same  dependence  on 
atoning  blood,  the  same  susceptibility  to  the  constraining  in- 
fluence of  Christ's  love:  "  We  thus  judge,  that,  if  Christ  died 
for  all,  then  all  were  dead  ;  and  that  he  died  for  all,  tliat  they 
who  live  should  not  henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto 
him  who  died  for  them."  We  sec  deep  religious  experience,  but 
no  extravagance — strong  feelings,  but  no  fanaticisiVi — absorb, 
ing  devotion,  l)ut  no  cant — firniness  of  principle,  but  no  party 
bigotr)\  We  have  here,  not  only  holiness  in  its  principle,  but 
the  6fffM/y  of  holiness  adorning  and  perfecting  the  character. 

Mr.  Jones  was  greatly  favoured  in  the  subject  of  his  narra- 
tive ;  and  he  has  wrought  up  his  materials  with  great  skill  and 
judgement.  Nothing  has  been  inserted,  which  would  have 
been  better  omitted  ;  and  nothing  appears  to  be  wanting,  which 
was  necessary  to  a  just  appreciation  of  her  character. 

We  unlipsitatingly  commend  this  Memoir  to  all  females,  in 
all  ranks  of  society.  The  most  refined  and  best  educated  will 
rise  from  its  perusal,  improved  in  literary  taste,  intellectual  ex- 

2 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


pansion,  and  correct  thinking  ;  and  the  less  favored  will  learn 
from  It  what  it  is  in  their  power  to  become  by  diligence,  by 
prayer,  by  studying  the  Scriptures,  by  a  wholeJiearted  devoted- 
ness  to  the  duties  which  they  owe  to  God  and  their  fellow  men. 


From  the  Boston  Recorder. 

It  is  not  possible  to  do  justice  to  this  captivating  and  instruc- 
tive volume,  within  the  compass  of  the  few  lines  to  which  our 
notice  must  be  confined.     And  perhaps  it  is  best  to  desist  al- 
together from  an  attempt  to  convey  a  correct  impression  of  it 
to  our  readers  ;  for  it  must  be  confessed  that  our  own  emotions 
on  the  perusal  of  it  are  too  strong  to  permit  the  exercise  of  the 
most  cool  and  deliberate  judgement  as  to  its  intrinsic  merits, 
lo  tollow  a  lovely  youth  through  the  scenes  of  childhood  and 
npenmg  years  ;  to  mark  the  various  traits  of  intellectual  and 
nioral  character,  as  they  are  developed  in  all  the  relations  of  the 
child   the  sister,  the  friend,  the  wife,  the  mother,  the  teacher, 
and  the  disciple  of  Jesus:  and  then  to  group  the  whole,  and 
contemplate  the  triumphs  of  faith  over  natural  atfection,  and 
the  heart  s  corruptions,  and  the  power  of  death  itself;  cannot 
tail  to  excite  very  strong  emotion  in  any  bosom  not  petrified, 
even  though  the  execution  of  the  work  were  marked  with  many 
imperfections.     But  Mr.  Jones  has  not  failed  in  the  fulfilment 
ol  the  task  he  has  assumed.     The  simplicity  and  clearness  of 
his  delineations  ;  the  richness  and  fulness  of  evangelical  sen- 
timent diffused  through  the  whole,  and  arising  naturally  from 
his  subject,  the  dignified  tenderness  of  his  style,  and  the  accu 
rate  discrimination  made  between  spurious  and   genuine  reli. 
gion  in  his  incidental  remarks,  show  him  to  be  a  workman  that 
needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  and  leave  an  impress  on  the  volume, 
that  will  render  it  very  precious  to  every  evangelical  reader. 
Any  Christian  who  desires  above  all  things  to  grow  in  ffrace  ; 
to  learn  the  nature  of  the  Christian  conflict,  and  to  use  sSccess! 
tulJy  the  weapons  that  shall  give  him  the  victory  over  his 
spiriLual  enemies ;  or,  in  one  word,  to  learn  "  the  mind  of  the 
fepmt    on  these  pomts,  wiU  do  well  to  study  this  volume. 


ADVEETISEMENTS. 

From  the  Episcopal  Sunday  School  Visitor. 

We  commence  our  brief  notice  of  this  excellent  book,  with 
an  appropriate  extract  from  its  pages:  "You  ask  my  opinion 
of  religious  biography,  and  of  the  emulation  it  excites.  It 
certainly  has  a  powerful  etFect.  I  think  the  perusal  of  well- 
written  narrative,  and  especially  memoirs  of  females,  has  a 
happy  influence,  and  is  calculated  to  inspire  with  confidence 
on  the  one  hand,  humility  on  the  other."  P.  157.  With 
this  opinion  we  perfectly  agree.  We  think  that  loell  written 
narrative,  or  biography,  is  well  calculated  to  profit  the  reader, 
who  reads  it  in  order  to  profit.  Tiie  trials  and  misfortunes, 
the  failures  and  short  comings  of  others,  may  all  serve,  as 
beacons,  to  save  us  from  the  shipwreck  of  our  faith  ;  whilst  the 
providential  mercies  and  blessings  which  have  been  the  com- 
fort and  support  of  others,  may  encourage  us  to  put  our  trust 
in  the  Lord.  In  too  many  instances,  however,  the  fond  par- 
tiality  of  friendship,  gives  an  eulogy  instead  of  a  simple  rela- 
tain  of  facts,  and  thus  diminishes  the  power  with  which  the 
simple  truth  might  (and  with  which  it  generally  does)  alfect 
the  mind. 

Sometimes  the  usefulness  of  religious  biography  is  lessened 
hy  a  redundancy  of  ornament  in  tlie  style  :  by  too  many  digres- 
sions, which  are  continually  breaking  into  tlie  interest  which 
the  reader  feels  in  the  narrative,  and  driving  away  the  profit, 
able  reflections  which  it  suggests  to  the  mind. 

It  is  very  seldom  that  we  meet  with  a  book  so  entirely  free 
from  blemishes  of  this  kind,  as  the  one  before  us.  It  is  the 
pimple  portrait  of  an  amiable,  enlightened,  and  devotedly  pious 
Christian,  drawn  by  a  most  judicicous  and  faithful  hand. 

The  young  Christian  who  is  just  commencing  his  course, 
and  whose  temptations  and  trials  are  sometimes  leading  him 
to  despondency,  will  read  this  book  with  thankfulness ;  and 
those  who  are  yet  strangers  to  vital  religion  may  be  induced, 
from  this  lonely  instance  of  its  powerful  effects  in  sustaining 
the  soul,  under  the  heaviest  afflictions  of  life,  and  in  the  hour 
of  sickness  and  death,  to  seek,  for  themselves,  an  interest  in 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

Mrs.  Taylor  evidently  possessed  a  fine  and  cultivated  mind. 
Of  this  the  beautiful  fragments  of  poetry,  which  are  given  in 
the  coarse  of  the  book,  and  tlie  extracts  from  her  correspon- 
dence, arc  an  evidence.  Had  those  talents  been  cultivated, 
for  the  world  and  its  approbation,  she  might,  perhaps,  have 
attained  all  that  this  world  can  give, — fame — applause — and 

4 


ADVERTISEMENTS . 

celebrity.     But  what  would  they  avail  her  now?     She  has 
chosen  the  better  part,  which  cannot  be  taken  from  her. 

It  would  be  injustic  3  to  the  publishers  not  to  notice  the  beau- 
tiful manner  in  which  the  work  has  been  executed.  The  pa- 
per and  type  are  excellent,  and  the  engravings  good  :  but  stiil 
the  matter  of  the  book  is  its  main  recommendation. 


From  the  Episcopal  Recorder. 

This  is  a  new  work  just  issued  from  the  press,  and  well  wor- 
thy the  attention  of  Christians.  It  describes,  mainly  from 
her  own  writings,  the  character  of  a  Christian,  whose  expe- 
rience of  the  power  of  sin  and  of  the  power  of  grace,  was 
deeper  than  is  usual,  and  whose  example  of  usefulness  to 
others  gives  beautiful  evidence  of  the  reality  of  her  own  prin- 
ciples of  character.  We  have  been  much  interested  in  look- 
ing over  this  volume,  and  rejoice  to  recommend  it  to  our 
readers.  They  will  find  it  an  uncommonly  interesting  and  in- 
structive biography,  worthy  of  its  excellent  author,  and  adapt- 
ed to  be  eminently  useful  to  themselves. 


From  the  Christian  Intelligencer. 

This  a  well  written  biography  of  an  amiable  and  devoted 
Christian,  who  pleasantly  and  beautifully  exhibited  the  Chris- 
tian character  in  the  different  relations  of  life  and  in  her  early 
death.  The  reader  will  be  pleased  with  the  spirit  and  senti- 
ments  of  her  correspondence  introduced  and  scattered  through- 
out the  volume.  It  is  calculated  to  be  useful  and  edifying, 
and  we  freely  commend  it  to  our  readers.  It  is  published  in 
a  beautiful  style. 


From  the  Christian  Watchman. 

The  interesting  subject  of  this  memoir  was  born  at  East 
Haddam,  Conn.,  January  18,  1809,  and  died  August  2,  1836. 
Books  of  this  description  are  sure  to  obtain  readers,  and  there- 
fore we  sincerely  wish  they  always  combined  as  much  solid 
5 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 

instruction  with  affecting  and  interesting  narrative  as  we  find 
in  this  volume.  "  He  that  winneth  souls  is  wi«c."  Every  en- 
deavor, therefore,  to  secure  so  important  an  object,  which  ia 
not  at  -variance  with  the  principles  and  the  spirit  of  revelation, 
is  wise  also.  As  the  author  fervently  prays,  so  we  sincerely 
hope  tliat  this  work  "  may  subserve  the  interests  of  our  holy 
religion,  and  be  the  means  of  leading  many  to  the  fountain  of 
eternal  life." 

It  is  a  lamentable  fact,  but  one  we  suppose  no  one  will  ven- 
ture to  deny,  that  there  are  persons,  who,  though  tho}'  cannot 
be  prevailed  upon  to  read  a  few  pages  of  a  book  of  this  kind, 
would  need  no  persuasion  to  sit  down  and  peruse  any  of  Bul- 
wer's  novels,  from  the  preface  to  the  finis,  without  suffeiing 
their  attention  to  be  interrupted.  A  person  can  hardly  read 
this  volume  without  feeling  that,  for  tlie  time  at  least,  he  is  a 
wiser  and  a  better  man.  The  author  has  produced  a  book 
alike  creditable  to  the  powers  of  his  mind,  and  to  the  devo- 
tional feelings  of  his  heart ;  and  which  in  our  opinion,  justly 
entitles  him  to  the  thanks  of  the  religious  public,  among  whom 
wc  sincerely  hope  it  will  obtain  an  extensive  circulation  and 
an  attentive  perusal. 


From  the  Baptist  Record. 

Tliis  is  the  memoir  of  a  lady,  who  was  a  native  of  Connec- 
ticut, but  passed  a  portion  of  her  life  in  New  York  city,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven.  This  work  is  one  of  more 
than  ordinary  interest.  It  is  particularly  valuable  in  two  re- 
spects. First,  as  exhibiting  the  workings  of  the  natural  heart, 
and  the  operations  of  grace,  in  a  character  so  amiable  and 
correct,  and  apparently  so  interested  in  religion  and  the  hap- 
piness of  others,  that  one  could  scarcely  avoid  the  conclusion 
that  she  was  a  Christian  long  before  she  indulged  a  hope  of 
having  become  one.     Yet  th  ition  of  her  heart  to  the 

Gospel  was  made  apparent,  and  grace  alone  could  subdue  it. 
Again,  her  dcep-toned,  habitual,  practical  piety  exhibit  an  ex. 
ample  which  all  might  contemplate  with  profit.  She  was 
Leavcnly-minded,  as  well  as  unwearied  in  her  efforts  to  do 
good;  drinking  of  the  same  spirit  which  imbued  that  d.-^votcd 
servant  of  God,  Harlan  Page,  to  whose  faithful  labours  she 
was  in  part  indebted  as  the  instrument  of  her  conversion. 
6 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 


The  book  is  very  beautifully  printed  on  fine  paper,  in  the 
publisher's  best  style.  It  is  embellished  with  a  fine  portrait  of 
Mrs   Tavlnr.  and  a  Invelwifrnette. 


Mrs.  Taylor,  and  a  lovely  vignette. 


From  the  New  York  Evangelist. 

In  the  memoir  of  Mrs  Taylor,  the  reader  will  see  chiefly 
"an  illustration  of  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  awaken- 
ing, renewing,  and  sanctifying  the  heart."  He  will  see  an 
humble  female,  born  in  Connecticut,  and  reared  under  the  ge- 
nial influence  of  that  blessed  atmosphere  so  prevalent  in  the 
land  of  the  pilgrims,  becoming  first  a  teacher  of  youth  in  her 
native  state,  then  in  New  York  city.  With  a  mind  well  cul- 
tivated, and  of  a  very  respectable  order  of  talent ;  with  a  heart 
formed  for  friendship,  and  keenly  alive  to  the  purest  and  ten- 
dercst  sensibilities ;  she  was  such  a  one  as  almost  any  one 
would  wish  their  daughters  to  be.  Her  piety  was  of  a  high 
order,  even  from  the  first,  and  no  wonder ;  she  had  been  an 
object  of  the  prayers  and  exhortations  of  Harlan  Page.  The 
closing  scenes  exhibit,  in  no  small  degree,  the  triumphs  of 
Christian  faith.  The  biographer  has  done  his  work  well,  in- 
terweaving, page  by  page,  in  an  easy,  natiural  manner,  delight- 
ful lessons  from  real  life. 

The  book  is  a  beautiful  specimen  of  the  printer's  art,  and 
shows  also,  in  the  portrait  prefixed  and  the  vignette  title-page, 
the  engraver's  skill.  The  book  will  be  read,  and  seldom,  we 
hope,  without  profit. 


From  the  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal. 

This  memoir  is  an  illustration  of  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  in  awakening,  renewing,  and  sanctifying  the  heart. 
Mrs.  T.  was  in  many  respects  an  extraordinary  woman ;  and 
her  biographer  has  performed  his  task  in  a  style  of  great  ex- 
cellence. The  narrative  of  her  conviction  and  contrition, 
which  is  here  given,  is  deeply  affecting  and  instructive,  by 
reason  of  its  protracted  character,  as  well  as  the  circumstances 
which  kept  her  so  long  without  the  "joy  in  believing,"  which 
she  aflerwards  found  to  have  been  her  privilege.  That  hers 
was  the  true  "  godly  sorrow  which  workcth  repentance  unto 
7 


ADVERTISEMENTS. 

salvation,"  no  one  can  doubt ;  and  yet  she  was,  for  many  yearo, 
the  subject  of  its  anguish  and  mental  agony,  before  she  re- 
ceived the  "  spirit  of  adoption,"  or  had  the  "  witness  in  her- 
self" of  which  the  apostle  speaks.  Subsequently,  her  enlight- 
ened piety,  her  growtli  in  grace,  and  her  experience  of  tlic 
fulness  01  the  blessing  of  the  Gospel  of  peace,  made  her  a 
"  burning  and  shining  light."  In  these  days  of  degeneracy, 
her  memoir  is  a  most  timely  publication,  showing,  as  it  does, 
an  eminent  example  of  Christian  experience  and  practice,  un- 
sophisticated by  any  of  the  dogmas  of  scholastic  divinity. 

Mre.  Taylor  was  an  humble,  sincere,  fervent,  and  consis- 
tent Christian,  in  sickness  and  in  health,  living  and  dying, 
exemplifying  ihc  truth,  power,  and  preciousness  of  our  holy 
religion.  Intellectually,  she  was  a  woman  of  high  order; 
and  her  early  and  devoted  piety,  her  patience  and  resignation 
in  afilictiun,  her  victory  over  death,  all  demonstrate  that  she 
was  a  witness  of  the  washing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewal 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Would  tliat  our  young  ladies  would  read  her  memoir;  im- 
bibe her  spirit ;  share  her  enjoyments,  and  participate  in  her 
blessedness  here  and  hereafter. 

8 


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